


I'll Always Come Back For You

by Ally_Winchester_67



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Age Difference, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Anything is possible, Blame John, Bobby Singer Deals With Idjits, Bobby Singer Lives, Bobby Singer is Dean Winchester's Parent, Bobby Singer's Panic Room, Cupid on crack situation, Dean Winchester Being Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester is Bad at Feelings, Dean Winchester is Protective of Reader, Dean Winchester is Sam Winchester's Parent, Dean Winchester is a God, Dean winchester being a fucking god, Demons, Drunk Sam Winchester, Everyone is Dead, F/M, Fluff, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, I wrote this manic, I'm a slut for feedback, Loss of Virginity, Parental Bobby Singer, Possessive Dean Winchester, Protective Bobby Singer, Protective Dean Winchester, Sam Winchester is Not Amused, Sam has a drinking problem, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Supernatural - Freeform, Swearing, Witches, age gap, au but not au, bobby singer has kids, but no one stays dead, its a whole thing, john winchesters A+ parenting, lots of swearing, reader is being hunted, so does Dean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:41:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 47,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21579340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ally_Winchester_67/pseuds/Ally_Winchester_67
Summary: Bobby Singer kept his daughter in hiding for a reason. A hunters life is never easy and the more things... people you love, means more that can be ripped away. Losing one son and a two wives was already hard enough on him. Ellie Singer was raised not sure of who she was and what she was meant for, hiding away in a remote mountain town since she was 17 years old. But the past come knocking when her father shows up with two hunters who are gravely injured. Putting her at risk of exposure in order to save ones life. But he's been gone, barely knows his daughter. He's faced with the woman she's become, realizing the dark destiny he has tried to hide her from might be closer than he ever thought.(Sounds like it's about Bobby but meh its a Reader/Dean story)
Relationships: Dean Winchester/Original Female Character(s), Dean Winchester/You
Comments: 38
Kudos: 80





	1. Seven Years

She sat at the bar, her hair fallen almost over her face, a half drank beer sitting beside her as she counted the cash in the drawer. A large cream colored book sitting next to her open covered in red marker. 

“How’s it looking tonight boss?” Dan asked, loading boxes in his hands as he closed up the old bar.   
“Told you to call me Ellie. That sounds so pretentious.” She closed her eyes for a moment, placing the cash down on the bar. “Could be worse. You know why I hate the color red?”

“Well it seems to be all over the finance books. I thought we were doing better?” 

“We are. But I’m not sure if it’s gonna be enough. Not this time.” She sighed raking her hands through her hair she let out a groan. 

“That bad?” He asked, his answer hanging in the air. She was unfocused and overwhelmed to say the least.

“Hmm? Sorry no, it’s just not moving as fast as I wanted. Nothing to worry about I swear.” She forced a smile. “Danny I meant to thank you. These past few months have been a shit show and you lending a hand has been a life saver.”  
“Hey I don’t do that much.” 

“Danny I don’t know the first thing about running this place. Pouring beer and day to day sure but I got no business touching these books while juggling all of that. With out you I’d have just burned it down when they gave it to me.” 

“Well then I’d be unemployed.” 

“And I’d be god knows where so... thanks.”

“Glad I could help. I never wanted to stop but being here, I can’t be a hunter but I can help. You did that.” He smiled before loading more boxes in his arms and disappearing into the back. 

Danny was an old friend of her brother. A hunter. A damn good one at that. But one hunt gone wrong and he lost a leg and the sight in his left eye. He hung up his hat, lending a hand here and there but he was mostly ammo, connections, and a lore expert. Trained by Ellie herself of course. He had hung up his hat after Tommy died, the same hunt he got torn up on. She was no hunter, moving to live with her uncle, an older and retired hunter, working in his roadhouse. After a few years he passed and left the place to her. She never wanted it. She had been lost for months. Going through the motions, helping out hunters here and there but loosing Tommy destroyed her. Having Danny around was a help at the bar but it was also like a piece of Tommy was still there. Danny felt like he owed it to Tommy to look after her. So he did his best. She was knocked out of her thoughts when her old land line started buzzing. Jumping a little she shot up and stared at the phone. No one ever calls that line. She picked it up bringing it to her ear, heating the roar of an engine and a few voices shouting back and forth. 

“I’m damn glad you picked up. It’s me please tell me you closed down the roadhouse already darlin’.” 

“Dad?”

“Yeah kid it’s me. Look I’m coming in hot from a hunt gone bad and I got a kid that needs some help.” 

“Dad.. I thought you said-”

“Yeah yeah I know what I said, but I wouldn’t have called if I had another way. He’s hurt real bad and I can’t patch this. We ain’t gonna slide by something this bad at the hospital. Especially with the law on my ass as is. Please kid.”

She knew he wouldn’t have put her in this position unless he had a damn good reason. He loved her more than he had loved anyone and would protect her at all costs. But he trusted her to handle something like this. If he wasn’t out of other choices he wouldn’t have called her. 

“Fine. Front door is open bring him into the bar. How bad is it?”   
“Cut his head, torn his chest to shreds, bleeding from the leg pretty bad. I need you kid.”

“How far out.” 

“Ten minutes max.”   
“Fine. Step on it.” And with that she hung up the receiver and jumped into action clearing the chairs away from the largest table they had. She pulled out an old wool blanket and an extra pillow she had in the laundry. She grabbed her entire medical kit and a fluids hanging them up ready to stick this stupid hunter. A brief stint as a nurse gave her enough know how to be the best patch job for miles. Most hunters would come in for a beer and a few stitches and be on their way but some knew her well enough to come when it was bad enough that a hospital visit was too risky. 

“Danny!” She shouted hearing him shuffling into the kitchen. “Danny get in here!” With in seconds he was there gun in hand. 

“Incoming. Hunter got torn up pretty good. Got someone bringing him in can you get some clean cloths and an assload of hydrogen peroxide? Lock up the inn for me too. Don’t want anyone walking in.” He nodded bolting up the stairs just as the three men burst through the door.

At first glance it was a blood bath. All three covered in blood barely recognizable. The man in the middle was well and truly sliced and diced. Hanging there limp between her father and another hunter who was also drenched. 

“Bring him here on the table. Lay him flat and move.” She ordered barely looking at anyone, eyes trained on the wound. 

“This is bad.” She said low, her father stepping closer. “I don’t even know how much I can do for him here.”   
“Just do what you can.” 

Jumping into action she began cleaning the wounds calling for Dan again.

“Who the hell is Danny?” He asked.   
“Employee and damn good hunter. Just shut up and let me help the kid.” She hissed as Dan ran in, supplies in hand. 

“Check his pulse see where we are at.” 

“Not great.” He said quietly. 

“Fine. Start cleaning him up I need to see what we are working with.” She examined his leg seeing it was mostly a shallow cut she threw a cloth on top applied some pressure and moved on. She looked at his head seeing the gash also wasn’t too bad but worried about head trauma. That’s tomorrow’s problem. Moving to where Danny had been working she looked at the two large slices across his chest. 

“These are deep but I can stitch them. Just have to flush them out. What did this?” She asked not turning to the men behind her. 

“Wendigo. Over in the mountains a few hours away.” 

“Shit. He’s lucky.”

“You call this lucky? My brother is nearly dead. He should be at a hospital not some back woods Barbie’s urgent care.” The other hunter said standing to approach when she turned around swiftly raising a finger to the man three times her size. 

“He’s lucky there was no venom. He’s not dead but he is in shock. I know what I’m doing. Unless you want to put him back in the car and drive him an hour to the nearest hospital I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself.” She grabbed a gauze pack and some antiseptic throwing at him. 

“Clean yourself up for now while I save his life and maybe I’ll take a look at that shoulder if you’re done being an arrogant ass by then.” She hissed turning back to the man on her table. 

“I don’t know what to do.” Danny said concerned. 

“It’s okay just go get them a set up out back. New sheets clean towels, whole nine. He’s gonna be stuck for a few day’s and he can’t risk infection.”   
Dan nodded taking off. He wasn’t medically trained and though he could help this was over his head. She got to work flushing out the wound, blood covering her and the surrounding area as she began stitching his chest. Once it was complete she took a breath. 

“You two. Beds out back. Go talk to Dan. I need some time to get him fixed up but he’s not moving not tonight. I’ll stay with him until I can do more.” The other hunter looked over at her, slightly ashamed at his outburst from before. There was something familiar about him but she couldn’t seem to place it. 

“Your brother is gonna be okay. Next couple of weeks is gonna suck but I have some thing that might… speed up the healing.” 

“Look about what I-“ 

“Save it. Shower, sleep, and stay out of my way.” She snapped at him. “I get it. I... I had a brother. Your’s will be fine. Go.” The hunter sauntered off, Dan showing him where to go. Her father lingering behind. 

“Ellie...”

“Dad please I don’t want to talk about this right now.” 

“I had no other choice.” 

“I know.” Silence hung in the air, thick like a fog. 

“It’s bee a while. I missed ya.” 

“I missed you too.” She confessed her voice quiet and wavering. “Dad who are these people. You said... you said there had to be distance, to keep me safe. They must be important if you’re breaking your number one rule.” 

“They... they’re hunters.”

“No shit. Dad… who are they?” 

“They’re important. I’ve been working with them for a long time and what we are doing is big.”

“Important to you.” 

“It ain’t that simple.”   
“Stop beating around the bush and just tell me. You lock me up here and tell me you can’t see me. That it’s dangerous and no one can know. Dad I turned this place to a damn roadhouse. This isn’t just a bar it’s a hunters bar and I’ve been just fine! I got hunters rolling in and out of here on a daily basis but I’ve managed to say safe. But you come barreling in the door after almost a year and act like I’m just some nurse. Like everything you said about keeping distance, keeping me hidden doesn’t matter! So if it’s safe enough to bring two hunters in that are working on some big thing with you then tell me who they hell they are and why-“

Coughing erupted from the table interrupting her rant. She looked over running to the man as he gasped for air.

“He’s awake. Barely. Get me those cloths from the counter and fill up a bucket with hot water. Clean ones are in the sanitizer next to the tap. Go.” She barked. Holding on to his shoulders to steady him she brought a bucket up as he retched into it. Loosing what ever food he had eaten before all this. Leaning back into his back once he was done he weakly held his hands up as he tried to catch his breath, the pain he was feeling clearly visible on his face. 

“Hey hey easy okay.”

“What the hell is going on.” He croaked. 

“You were hurt. Wendigo I hear. Your friends brought you to me. Stitched you up. I’m almost done but I need to finish up.” 

“I’m fine.” He said attempting to sit up, proving himself up on his elbows and forcing himself to balance himself. 

“Ohh ho no you’re not. Look you’ve lost a lot of blood and what you have on your leg and your head are shallow but you’re in rough shape. Let me help you.”  
“My brother, I have to find-“ 

“That arrogant tree? He’s fine. Bruised but asleep out back. Right now all you need to do is lay back and let me work. Hey look at me.” He glanced up at her finally seeing her. 

“I’m trying to help you. Stop being a stubborn ass and lay back. You can trust me.”

His necklace fell to the side, catching her eye as he relented laying back down. For just a moment he thought he knew her, but it had clicked for her. She knew that necklace. Taken a back she stumbled slightly looking at him like she had seen a ghost. His eyes met hers, ones she knew. Like emeralds in the dim light. It can’t be. But it was. She knew who this was and it was well and truly like she was seeing a ghost. Before he could speak his eyes rolled in the back of his head and he was out like a light. Dean fucking Winchester.   
“Dean.” She whispered. Her father placing the bucket beside her and stepping back.

It had been years since she had seen the boys. Holy shit that meant that asshole had been Sam. Made sense he was so protective. Those boys were all they had. All accept her dad. They were like sons to Bobby Singer. That’s why he risked it. Because he loves those boys like his own. She pulled up a chair cleaning off the last of Deans face. Finishing up his face and his leg she grabbed a beer and a glass of whiskey. Pulling a chair up she looked down at him passed out. He was the same boy she used to know. Just a few more creases in his skin and some small white scars she hadn’t remembered. Last time she saw him she was a wide eyed 17 year old and he was a fresh faced 22 year old who reeked of danger and charm. Knocked her on her ass to see him again seven some odd years later. He was a man now. Stubble lining his jaw, his face still perfect like it always was even though it was covered in blood and bruises. Taking a swig of her whiskey to try and help her cope with the idea of seeing a man she never thought she’d see again. Her mind raced, her back still to her father who had been silent. 

“I get it now. You’d never risk it. Not unless they were at risk.” She said, devoid of any emotion.

“Ellie honey it ain’t like that. It’s not that simple kid.” 

“No I think it is. It’s fine Dad really. No big deal. I’m just glad they’re okay.” 

“Honey-“

“Dad. Please just go now. I have things to do and I need to watch him. I have something that can help him. Heal him faster. Get you three on the road.” She said flatly.   
“Don’t. Don’t do something that’ll risk-“

“I suggest you leave before you make this any worse. I’ve protected myself for seven years with barely a word from you. You might be my dad but you’re not my father. Leave and let me save him. I know you don’t want to be here any longer than you have to.”   
He started to say something but thought better of it. Turning and leaving out the front door. Staying in a motel that night was probably the best bet. Her home wasn’t really welcome to him from what it seemed. He knew he messed up. He knew how much this hurt her, or thought it did. He didn’t know how to be a dad to her. She sat back down huffing a sigh as Dan walked in. 

“Hey boss.”

“Told you don’t call me that it’s weird Danny.”   
“How is he?”  
“Fine for now. You can head out. Take the morning to relax. I can handle everything here tomorrow morning. Come in for the night shift and I’ll pay ya normal.” Her eyes were glazed over, whiskey sloshing in the bottle she held. 

“No I don’t mind coming in. With everything going on you need some sleep.” 

“No I’m okay. Tomorrow is a Thursday night. I got this. And trust me this...” she pointed at the mess of blood and dirty cloths around her. “This is some family shit that keeps going south the longer they’re here. I need some time to sort it out. Plus I have that big one out there to help me. Kinda owes me.”

“You know them?”

“Yeah. Extended family in a way. Look Danny thank you again. You earned some time off. I’ll be okay.” She said tossing him a halfhearted smile. He didn’t believe her for a second but when she made up her mind she made up her mind. He heaved a sigh and agreed. Planting a kiss on her head and headed out the door, reminding her to lock up for his sanity. She chuckled doing as he asked. The click of the lock sounded and the silence hung in the air. The weight of the night crashed down on her but she was in no place to sleep. How could she? Instead she sat back down and continued to drink. 

The hours ticked by as she recounted the memories she had with he boys. Playing in the old fields. Messing with her Dad. Learning how to shoot in the woods and swimming in the lake as they got older. Dean teaching her how to fix up the cars with her dad. Sam and Dean were her friends, her family. The only outside world she knew. Until Her dad sent her away. Her life of solitude had removed some of those memories. Or blocked them. She tired to pull them back to her mind. But some how they always landed on Dean. Ended with Dean. They always came back to Dean. 

FLASH BACK

“Ellie!” A voice shouted from the abyss of the junk yard. “Where are you!?”  
She rolled her eyes, burying her face deeper in her book. She let the sun shine on her while she could, the peace of the day envelop her before she was forced back inside. The fresh pages of her novel like an escape for her to fall into. The words her only solace as she tried to squeeze every word she could from every moment she had. But he found her. Interrupting her small piece of a world outside her own. 

“Ellie what the hell!” A small voice spoke.

“What.” She snapped, eyes still focused on the pages. More so in retaliation than for purpose.

“Bobby’s looking for you.”

“And?”

“And you aren’t suppose to be out here.”  
“Sam why do you care?”  
“Because he told me to come get you.”  
“Tell him I said to fuck off.”

“I’m not saying that.”  
“Fine. Rephrase it. But I’m not leaving. I’ll come when I’m ready.”

“He says its-“  
“Sam, unless he threatened bodily harm I’m gonna enjoy my book.”  
“But-“

“Goodbye Sam.” She said flatly.  
“Sam… go.” A gruff voice rang out. A chill shot up her spine. Dean. She sat quietly, pretending not to notice who had just arrived. Pretending like she wasn’t red in the face and suddenly thrown. He climbed the junk cars can settled next to her, one arm behind his head as he tried to be nonchalant.  
“Hiding out?”

“Who’s asking.”

“Me.”

“Sure its not my father?”

“Sammy is scared of you. Me not so much. Drop the act and use some big girl words.”

“Dean I just want to read. Relax. Get out of the house a little. Is that a crime?”  
“He’s trying to keep you safe.”

“So?”  
“So he says you need it.”

“And did he tell you why?”  
“Doesn’t have to. I trust him.” She scoffed closing her book and smooching forward, her legs dangling off the hood. 

“Yeah well he’s over protective.”  
“El he’s looking out for you.”  
“He’s suffocating me. It’s not like I’m in town sipping milkshakes with the local pretty boy, or hunting like you De. I’m reading a book 1,000 feet from the porch.”  
“Thats what you fantasize about?”  
“What?”

“50’s diner food with some handsy douche wad?” She blushed.  
“No……. It’s not, not really my type. But no matter what I do I’m still going to be locked up here.”  
“For a good reason.”

“And that reason is?”  
“Look he says we look after you, so thats what I’m gonna do.” She perked up as he slid next to her, a hand on her book. She yanked it away shooting him daggers with her stare.

“And thats what you’re doing? Looking after me? Dean you have no idea why he’s even doing this yet you help him hold me hostage here!”  
“You’re not a hostage don’t be dramatic. Thats my job when I’m here. What are you reading anyway?”

“Don’t touch my book De.”

“Lemme guess. Some romance book you can get lost in?”  
“Slaughter House Five. Asshole.”

“What the hell is that?”  
“Vonnegut douche wad.” She smirked.

“Of course.” He laughed shaking his head. “Look I just want keep you safe El.”

“I hate when you call me that.”  
“Why?”

“It’s not my name. No one else does.”

“I know. Thats why I like it. You always call me De, I’ll call ya El. Just how it is.” He smiled pulling an arm around her. Her head rested on his shoulder and his heart swelled.

“De, you ever think about going out on the road? Not for a hunt but to see something. Anything.” Her voice was quiet, timid. He thought about her question, not really sure how to answer it.

“Yeah sometimes. But I think about you and Sammy, about our dads. I can’t leave that behind.”

“Why do we have to choose? Why can’t I go out and live my life and still have you guys?”

“It’s not that simple. Our lives? The things we hunt, Bobby knows whats out there and he’s made a name for himself. El the good he’s done puts a price on his head and if anything figures out who you are…”

“I know that. But my mom. He… he told me she was like me. Wanted to wander. Run off and see the world. He said it’s in my blood to run. But it’s not running De its living. I’ve barely stepped foot off this property. I’m 16 De. I wanna live. He let's Tommy hunt. Solo. I know I'm not a hunter but I can't have a life if I'm stuck by his side.”

“El its not so cut and dry. Look I’m not trying to rain on your parade. He wants to help I want to help.”

“By hovering?” 

“I guess.”

“Sheep.” She huffed sliding off the car.  
“I am not!” He yelled back to her, only for her to turn and make a braying noise as she pranced back to the house. He watched her for a moment before taking off after her. Chasing her through rows and rows of cars as they both screamed and laughed. Hunting her down like a wolf. Finally catching her he scooped her up swinging her around before hauling her over his shoulder kicking and screaming, trying to pretend like she was fighting it when in reality she was laughing her head off. He stepped up half the porch steps dropping her down on the step just above his. She was still smaller than him but closer now. He looked into her eyes, feeling the itch to run off himself. Take her with him and just see something other than a blade or a gun in his hand. He understood why she felt so trapped. He was a hunter. Plain and simple and he was okay with that. Happy about it even. He knew he could dream about the apple pie life but after how he was raised, there was no way he was going to be content just accepting suburbia. Didn’t mean her offer didn’t send a ping of hope and chance through him. Especially if it was her he was with.

“I’ll find a way to make it up to you.” He said softly.

“Make what up to me?”

“Being trapped here. I’ll find a way.”

“What if we just went De. What if we got in the car and left?”

“El-“

“No De. I mean it. I know you want to go. Maybe not get out of hunting but getting away from your Dad. And I know you love him and you’re loyal to him. I get why but I know you Dean.”

“I can’t take you El… but I’ll come back for you. I’ll always come back for you.” Her hand lifted to his cheek, resting on his stubble. She tried to smile for him but it didn’t reach her eyes. She leaned in slowly pressing her lips softly to his, her body molding to his own as his hands found the small of her back. He was shocked, taken off guard by her action. But it was gone as quickly as it had began.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep De.” She said with a somber smile again that broke his heart before she turned up the stairs and hid herself away like she always did. 

She always had a way of doing that, tugging at his heart in the most amazing and devastating way. She was so young but so strong, wise beyond her years. She was headstrong and opinionated to the point of driving someone to absolute insanity, but it’s because she was often in the right. Her life wasn’t fair. She was practically kept prisoner and if he was being honest with himself, he didn’t get why. He got the risks but her dad went over board. She was in a jail with no bars. But still she had a life. She had time, time to be a kid. A pissy teen. She had time. And he didn’t, part of him envied that but the other wanted to preserve it. Protect it. Keep it safe and in her as long as he could. She was beauty and he was the beast. Rough and hard while she was soft and warm. He meant it when he said it. That he’d be back for her. Three weeks later she was sent away. But in Deans world? For Dean she was dead. 

Bobby tried to get her to realize why she needed to stay hidden. Why it wasn’t safe for her. It wasn’t that he didn’t love her, if anything he loved her too much. He couldn’t let her fall into the wrong hands. Between who he was and who she was meant to be… he would do what ever it took to keep her from what was to come. She knew she was different. She knew why he kept her hidden. But she didn’t know more than that. Who her mother was, what she was made to become. In Bobby’s mind lying to his only daughter about who she was, who she was destined to be… keeping her in the dark was the only way to keep her safe. He had to lie to her, have her hate him, to keep her from knowing her fate. A fate he was hellbent on stopping. So he took her. Hid her. Told the few who knew she existed she died thanks to a demon. Wrapped a meat suit that was close enough to her and gave her stand in a hunter funeral. She had to be safe. She couldn’t know. No one could.

She made sure no one would walk in on her, locking all points of entry. She was going to save him. She was determined. She stood over him, a hand placed on his stomach and the other on his head. She closed her eyes and felt for him. Felt his pulse, his pain, his dread. She felt his wounds and his bones. She worked quickly trying to repair what she could before her body gave out. Passing him what ever health she had in her. Her hands began to tingle her ears started to ring and her vision faded. She pulled back doing all she could. Weak from the Magic she poured into him she rested her head on the table letting the darkness swell around her, hoping the secrete her father made her keep would at least do some good for the man she never thought she’d know again.


	2. I'm Here Now

Pain. So much pain. Throbbing in his skull, a dull poke in his leg and a searing white hot pounding on his chest. He opened his eyes, unable to focus them, everything was blurry and he was only getting pieces of what surrounded him. Neon lights glowing. Dark wood everywhere. His shirt was torn open and his eyes darted to a keg tap. Confused he tried to sit up, groaning as the pain increased. His head fell back to the barely padded wood. He looked down at himself, bandages and stitches covered what he could see. Pain made sense now. The night came rushing back to him. The attack, the panic, some random roadhouse and………. her… there. Fixing him. Flashes of her focused face as she worked on his wrecked body. 

But no. No it must have been his mind. The medication. The adrenaline. All of it pumping through his veins like cars on a race track. It couldn’t be her. His eyes drifted to a sleeping form. Sitting in a chair there she was. Not a memory, not an illusion or a dream. Head on her arms, three small fingers holding on to his leg. She looked like her sure, but older. More hardened. Her dark hair had subtle red hints at the bottom. Her golden skin was peppered with freckles and even though they were closed he could see her striking grey eyes. Her soft snores reached his ears as he came further and further into reality. He tried to sit up yet again a groan escaping his lips. She was shaken awake jumping up to stop him, her hands on his shoulders. 

“You can’t get up. You’ve lost a ton of blood and you’re still healing.” He just stared at her with wide eyes it really sinking in that she was here. 

“What the hell.” He whispered. She scrunched her face turning to grab a glass of water and her med kit. Wordlessly she sat and began working on him again. Checking his wounds and cleaning them again all while he just looked at her in shock. 

“I’m sorry I know but I have to clean it.” She said avoiding his gaze. He sat there wide eyed unable to process what he was seeing. He thought he was hallucinating before. She couldn’t be here. His hand slowly raised dropping down to hers, her eyes finally finding his. Boring into her widely she could feel the panic and confusion rolling off him. 

“How... how are you here?”

“Bobby and Sam... they brought you here. I know it hurts but I’m almost do-“

“Ellie?” She sighed, her hands dropping to her lap and her eyes falling with them. 

“Yeah Dean. It’s me.” His brows knitted together at her words leering back as much as he could. 

“No you... you can’t she...” he stumbled over his words reaching for his coat just beside him. One moment he was lying there the next he had his ivory pistol trained on her and a glint of death in his eyes. She flew up from the chair, backing up slowly. 

“What are you?” He roared. 

“What are you doing?” She squeaked terror taking over her body. 

“What are you?!” His eyes were wide, the look of horror on his face. 

“Dean it’s me! Put the damn gun down!” She cried, tears welling in her eyes. 

“No you’re not! You’re not her you can’t be!” He roared.

“Dean what are you doing?!” 

“Is this some sick joke?! What are you!?”

“Dean it’s me! Ellie! Eleanore! Dean we grew up together! I’ve known you and Sam practically my whole life!”

“You have two seconds before I start shooting who are you?!”

“De please! I… I can prove it De… look.” She said brushing her hair to the side, hands shaking. “When I was 16 we were playing with Sammy and you hit me with a baseball bat. Gave me this scar right here! You felt so guilty you snuck me out and we went to a movie…it was at the drive in. Monty python and the holy grail and you gave me my first beer! De it’s El please! Just put the gun down!” He looked at her the panic on her face the tears in her eyes. Her words sunk in but he still couldn’t believe it.   
“Holy water. Silver. Now.” She quickly ran behind the bar grabbing her flask of holy water and her silver knife. She hissed as she sliced her skin in a haste and cut far too deep. Just blood no sizzle. So she’s not a shifter. She poured the holy water over her wound and he had his proof. It was her. 

He lowered his gun and sat up eyes never leaving her. He watched her back up slightly her chest heaving, the sheer fear in her eyes. 

“El?”

“Yeah De it’s me.” She whispered her voice smaller than a mouse.   
“It can’t be.” 

“It is.”  
“No Ellie you... you’re dead. You can’t be here. You just can’t be here.” He said in a breathy voice. Completely in shock he moved to her still clutching her arm. 

“You need to lay down."

“How are you here El?”

“I’ve been here De.”

“No no no… I built your pyre. I burned your bones. I mourned you El you cannot be here.”

“Dad he moved me up here. Said it wasn’t safe. I... I didn’t know.” 

He reached out a hand grabbing her arm and yanking her two him. The both hissing in pain be he didn’t release. There she was. In his arms. She was back. Hell she was never gone how was it possible that she hadn’t actually been gone? They clung to each other tears in his eyes. He finally pulled her back just enough to see her eyes. He missed that hazy grey that almost glowed when she looked up at him. God she was different. The same but still so different. She was older now. A woman. God she grew up. She was beautiful and some how alive. He couldn’t wrap his head around it. 

She hovered there still so timid. She clutched at her arm, blood still pouring from it. Dean reached over grabbing a cloth wincing as he stretched. The pain had eased some and he wasn’t sure how. He brought the cloth to her lightly pressing down. Looking at her, how lost she looked in that moment. She had no idea what her father had said but faking her death? She never thought he’d go that far.  
“El what is going on?”

“Dad called, said he had two hunters that needed help. Said you got torn up and had the cops on your ass. Couldn’t risk a hospital. I didn’t know it was you. Not until I started.” Her voice was small, it was like she was scared of him. Well you pointed a damn gun at her, he thought. 

“He said you died. Said a demon found you and he tried to get it out of you but it was too late.”

“A few weeks after I saw you guys last Dad took me up here. Said something was after us… after me. Uncle Will kept me safe and hid me here. He left me the place when he died. I worked in the bar a few nights a week and Tommy would visit between hunts They were the only ones who knew. Dad said he needed to keep his distance. Said it wasn’t safe.”

“What the hell was after you… how… how could he lie to us?”

“No. No I think he was right. Things have changed De. It been almost a decade and I hate it here but I’ve been safe. I have no idea what came for him but it’s stayed away from me so his plan worked.”

He looked at her, the sun just beginning to peek through the blinds as she wrapped a bandage around her arm. The red in her hair brighter as the rays hit it. He never thought he’d have the chance to see her again.

“Here.” She said handing him some pills. “For the pain. You’re mostly healed but its gonna take a few days. I have rooms for you and Sam out back he’s crashed in one right now. I’ll take you back there. Hot shower, clean clothes. Whole nine.” She said reaching out a hand to him. He took it and slipped off the table as smoothly as he could. Looking down he saw the amount of blood that was surrounding them. The dirt cloths and the torn clothing. He looked around the table and saw a frenzy of medical supplies. The amount of blood alone should have meant he was dead. He stopped looking down at her.

“What happened?”

“Dad said wendigo. I stitched you up.”

“Ellie all this blood… I shouldn’t be standing right now.” He looked down at his chest, stitched, but they looked at least a few days old. “How long have I been out.”

“A few hours. You guys rolled in around two.”

“But how-“

“Some herbal shit Dad taught me. Speeds up the healing a little bit. I only use it when hunters are past the point of my help.”

“You do this a lot? Patch up hunters?”

“Uncle Will’s idea. Tommy kept stopping by torn up. So he taught me everything he learned in the war. It started with Tommy, then others showed up. Dad has no idea I helped other hunters, lets keep it that way.” Her hand was still in his, their distance close. Her fingers ran up along his chest softly ghosting the trail the monster left behind.

“I couldn’t believe it was you.” She whispered. “I realized who you were was and how bad it was. I had to use it. I never thought I’d see you again.” His hand grasped hers, keeping it close to his chest. 

“Told you I’d come back for you.” He said just as the front door unlocked. Dean jumped into hunter mode, grabbing his gun, fighting through the pain and aiming it at the door.

“De stop!” She said now in front of his gun for the second time today. “It’s alright he’s a friend.” She said looking back to Dan.

“Danny I told you-“ She warned stomping over to him.

“Yeah yeah I know but I also know this bar is a mess and if you thought I was going to leave you alone with some hunters you don’t know me.” He smiled pulling one arm around her for a quick hug, his eyes trained on Dean.

“I told you. I’m okay, I know them.”

“Yeah well the bar ain’t.” Dean cleared his throat.

“Dean this is Danny. Danny, this is Dean.” Danny extended a hand, waiting for Dean to shake it. He hesitated before reaching out.

“How much sleep have you got?”

“Enough.”

“So barely any. I love you but you look like steamed crap.”

“You really know what a girl wants to hear don’t you?”

“Clean up a little, lets eat something and then we can clean up because lord knows you won’t sleep if I tell you to.”

“I’m fine.”

“You’re covered in blood. Get out of here and don’t come back till you’ve scrubbed off three layers of skin minimum.” He chuckled. Dean watched them interact, watched how they spoke. They were close, it was clear. Something was rising in him. He wasn’t sure what it was. But he didn’t like it.

“Fine. I gotta take him up anyways. What room is his brother in?”

“Four. Set him up last night.”

“Okay. I’ll be down in a little. Thank you Danny. I don’t know what I’d do with out you.” She reached up placing a kiss on his cheek and wrapping her arms around him for a moment. Walking back over to Dean reached a hand out to his forearm.

“Come on. Lets get you cleaned up.” She called to him, pulling him with her. Every step hurt but he couldn’t care. He just stared at her as she moved. She led him to the back of a bar, through a small swinging door into a dark hallway. Climbing the stairs he watched as she swayed. She was clearly exhausted. She had worked on him all night and here she was, ready to drop still helping him. 

“Who is Dan.”

“Works here at the bar. Used to be a hunter but he got hurt pretty bad. Only friend I’ve had up here for years.”

“So he knows you’re a Singer?”

“He was a buddy of Tommy’s. He was, he was with him. After… everything, he stayed here. Helped me out. I lost Will around the same time Tommy, Dan helped me through it. Kept me above water. Dad wasn’t around, everyone was gone. Danny took care of me. Hell he still does. Reminds me of Tommy. Over protective and drinks to much. He’s a good guy De, I trust him.”

“El…” She turned to look at him. Torn and broken but something in his eye. He moved to her, pressing her against the wall. One hand on her hip the other holding her face as she looked up at him, surprised by his movement. He slowly leaned his lips to hers, just like she had years ago. Her body melted to his as his lips moved. Firm and sure, different than when they were younger. He pulled back resting his forehead on hers, one arm keeping him upright on the wall behind her.

“If I had known…” Her hands rested just below his stitches, careful not to touch them.

“Not your fault.”  
“I should have known.”

“De I’m okay. I’ve been okay.”

“I haven’t. I lost you.” Her eyes fell. Realizing what he had had to go through. She lost people too, she was ripped away from the little family she had but for him, he had to burn her, bury her, mourn her.

“I’m here now.” She leaned up on her toes, her soft lips on his before pulling back down, her hand tracing his stubble. “Lets get you cleaned up De. Get you some sleep.” She said as his stomach groaned louder than ever. She chuckled, “Maybe some food.” He nodded, not moving, eyes burning into her.

“I’m gonna kill him.”

“Who?”

“Bobby. He had no right-“

“Dean he was protecting me. That was years ago. Right now you need to get cleaned up and rest. Eat something.”

He didn’t want to leave her side. He was always drawn to her. Always felt a pull but now… some how it was different. Now it was intoxicating to be near her. Now he almost hurt the further away she was. It was like electricity running through him the closer she was. He was drugged and didn’t understand it.


	3. Fuck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can a bitch get some feedback? PLEASE

The steam filled her pores as she stood under the stream. Red pooling by her feet as the water washed over her. Her mind was racing, yet she was numb. So much had happened in a matter of hours. Her father came back for the first time in years, Dean Winchester had almost flat lined on a table in her bar, came back only to to tell her to the rest of the world… she was dead. Then how he acted in the hallway, how he kissed her. God this was all too much. Her life was quiet. Perfect? No. She dreamt of other things, other lives, but she knew what kind of live was available to her and she married her mind to that path. Now everything was scrambled. Staying away, staying hidden. Living her life as she had been was now up in the air. Dean wasn’t going to let this go. She had no idea about Sam but she figured he’d react fairly similarly. Minus the kiss. 

Her fingers fell to her lips as she recounted what he had done. He was delirious. Wounded. In shock from the injuries alone. But he had pressed her to the wall, she could still smell the gunpowder and iron on him. The whiskey on his breath that he no doubtably took a few swigs of before passing out in the impala. The feeling of his lips on hers, his beard scratching at her skin. The warmth that fled her when he pulled back, his breath hot on her face as they both came to terms with what just happened. Impulsive was one word for it. Reckless was another. Which could also be used to describe her using her abilities on him. God she was so stupid. The whole reason she was here was to shelter herself from anyone who could find out about them and here she was using them on the first pretty face who walked through her door. History or not it was a dumb move. 

She didn’t understand them. Didn’t know how to use them and had no idea where they even came from. Her father convinced her that her mother wasn’t the source, not even a hunter. Just a civilian who fell for the rugged hunter who passed by saving her town. He told her they spent a few weeks together when she found out she was pregnant. She disappeared and 9 months later a little baby girl showed up on his door with a letter and blanket. 

What she was capable of… it scared him. Hell it scared her. He realized she was different when she was around four. Her abilities started to show, she’d know things before they happened, her senses were heightened. But it wasn’t till she was older that they escalated. Things began to move, she was able to do things they couldn’t explain. She was able to protect herself, but she was a ticking time bomb. She had no understanding of how to control it. She hurt herself one night. It was bad, Bobby was worried. Once she was healed he told her something was on his ass, coming for her too and they had to hide. He sent her to her uncles telling her to never under any circumstances use her abilities. She had to keep them hidden for everyones safety. Her uncle made her bracelets with special markings on them to keep her powers contained. 

It had been years since she used them but the moment Dean Winchester was through her door and in need she hadn’t hesitated. She put herself and everyone she knew in danger. Was she even safe anymore? What had she done? Squeezing her eyes shut she heard the roar of her father’s voice in her head, the anger he had and the fear that radiated through her when he demanded she never use them. The pain of him leaving. The loneliness she felt all these years. All of it screaming in her head. Louder the she could process. She grabbed her ears crouching down under the stream as she gritted her teeth trying to make it stop. The lights flickered and suddenly it all stopped. Her vision was blurry and her ears still ringing slightly. She stood slamming the lever down to turn the water off. Grabbing her towel she wrapped herself up, marching to the mirror and wiping the steam. Looking back was the girl she had grown to avoid. Pale grey eyes that haunted most who fell under their gaze. Most. 

Looking up she noticed a small trickle of blood coming from her nose. She pushed too hard. Using her gifts wasn’t all hunky dory. It was taxing. It took a toll. Doing parlor tricks could lay her out but healing someone? Bringing a man back from the brink of death was no small price that she would eventually and undoubtably pay. Cleaning herself up she looked again. God she looked like death. Tired and pale. Bags under her eyes and color gone from her skin. She tinted her face with a cream. Little mascara, some color for her cheeks and some chapstick gave her enough to work with. She dried her hair mostly, her soft waves looking intentional. She slipped on a tank top and a pair of jeans, sliding into her work boots she made her way downstairs to find 

She sighed, hands raking through her hair. She switched on the juke box, classic songs her father used to love filled the bar. Eyes glazing over she jumped into work mode, grabbing a few cloths and began scrubbing the floor. Collecting all the bloody rags, the empty medical packaging, and everything else she could find out of place. She remained numb to it all as she worked. The pools of blood, they were dark and thick, spread everywhere around the table. She looked down at them, almost seeing the horrifying scene in the shine of the blood. Shaking her head she scrubbed. Roughly, harshly for lord knows how long. Getting more and more frantic with her movements not yet hearing her own grunts and sobs as she worked. Images from the night came flashing back to her. Tears welled in her eyes as she angrily worked at the floor. She felt like she had been there for hours, lost in her rage and frustration when a hand came gently to her back muffled words faintly falling on her ears. She yelped falling backwards, startled by the interruption.

“Whoa easy there.” She glanced up, deep blue eyes meeting her gaze. “Slow down there Mr. Clean.” The water in her eyes registered with him as she sat there for a moment frozen, taking him in. She quickly moved back, standing up switching off the music and moving to the bar to get fresh supplies. 

“Sorry. It’s really in there.” She mumbled barely speaking as she tried to brush it off. Her father stood there Same clothing as last night and the same hesitant look that screamed he knew he fucked up. But didn’t he always. There were no winners. Not in their lives. 

“I’m sorry… I figured everyone was up now. I figured we had some things to-“

“I can make some food in a little once all this is clean. Go wake up the boys. Get them down here.” Her voice was hollow. Unfeeling. 

“Listen kid-“  
“Don’t call me kid.” She snapped, still avoiding his gaze as she ran new water in the bucket, heat rising from it. 

“Eleanore You look exhausted.“  
“Dad. Go get your boys while I clean my bar.”

“Ellie I’m not trying to… you don’t look okay. I just want to help.” She heaved a sigh, her hands digging into the bar, her shoulders sagging. 

“Look I’m not trying to be a dick. I just need some time. I’ve had no sleep and I’ve been smacked in the face with a lot in the past 9 hours. Just give my head some time to catch up.” He sighed, understanding why she was overwhelmed but unsure why she was so cold all of a sudden. 

“What if I made the food?”

“You in a kitchen? My insurance isn’t that good Dad. Pass.” 

“You look about ready to drop.”

“And you look like steamed crap but I had the decency not to say anything.”

“Ouch.”

“Dad can you just go up there? Please?” Her words were kind but her tone was sharp.

“Ellie-“

“Goddamn it! Just go!” She shouted, moving quickly, shattering a glass and slicing her arm in the process. She yelled out, dropping the bucket and clutching her forearm. Second cut she held on that arm in a matter of hours. 

“Ellie!” Bobby moved to her. Blood coursing down her arm. “Come here.” He said guiding her to a bar stool. 

“I’m fine.” 

“Bullshit. Sit down. Shut up and accept some help for once.” 

“It’s a cut I can manage.”

“I don’t care if its a paper cut Signer, sit your ass down and let me fucking help you.” He growled. 

“You know how many cuts I’ve managed on my own? How many broken bones and stubbed toes and broken hearts I’ve had since you abandoned me? Dad I said go get them. Go get them or get the fuck out and go back to Sioux Falls.”

“You’re bleeding Ellie.” He said quietly. They hadn’t noticed the two men enter the bar. 

“And it ain’t the first time. It won’t be the last.” She stood from her stool blood still coating her skin, an icy glare on her face. 

“You don’t get it? You have no right to ask anything of me… to show up here! You have no right to pull the caring father act! I know what you did Dad! I know! And any trust I had that my father was still in there? It’s gone. I don’t need your help Dad! I needed it when I was 17 and hurt and terrified with no idea what the hell was going on! You told me lie after lie. Told me you’d come back for me! Told me that it would be a week with uncle Will then we would start over up north across the boarder and you left me there. You changed your numbers and you told everyone I was fucking dead! Killed by a demon when I was scared and alone waiting on word from a father who I was stupid enough to trust! So you don’t get to play doctor or daddy or anything else anymore! You should have stayed away!”

“I did it to protect you kid!”  
“No, I was a kid dad. But I was also old enough for you to tell me what was going on! I still have no clue! What else have you lied about? Have you lied about what I can do? Do you know whats going on? Seriously tell me one thing that has come out of your mouth that has been honest!”

He was holding so much in. So much he wanted to tell her. So much she deserved to know. But he would rather her be safe and hating him than aware and in danger. He knew she’d run right towards it. Knew she’d dive head first in to trouble before it found her. He couldn’t loose her. Couldn’t watch her destiny come true. He had to protect her and if that made him enemy number one then so be it. 

“I love you.” He said in almost a whisper. 

“Too little too late. Go get your sons up Bobby.” She hissed her words like poison as her hands raked through her hair. “I have to check on them. Make sure they aren’t dead so you three can get on the road and do what ever it is you do.” Each word killed him Like a knife to the heart. His eyes finally fell on the boys behind her. Shame filling his veins. Her eyes followed his to the two men standing dumbfounded at the edge of the bar. 

“Shit.” She muttered under her breath. “Hey guys. I’ll get some food going. Feel free to grab a pint.” She tried to lighten her tone, play all of what just happened off. But she wavered, her voice cracking under the stress.

“Ellie?” Sam called out. She realized she hadn’t even seen him yet, not since she realized who they really were. A tired smile creeped in.

“Hey Sammy.” She said, moving to him. His legs moved much faster, lifting her up and squeezing her tight. 

“I can’t believe it.” He said breathlessly. His best friend was alive. Dean had told him everything… well almost everything. He was baffled, but had accepted it. But seeing her was different. He had missed her dearly.

“You’re huge put me down you tree.” She giggled through tears. 

“I… I can’t believe it.” He stuttered. 

“Yeah you said that. I missed you.” 

She said looking down at her feet. Dean noticed how she did that a lot. Anything sincere that wasn’t laced in anger, her eyes would fall to the floor. Red creeping to her cheeks. She never like to be vulnerable. But he remembered steeling some of those moments for himself. The few times she was brave enough to look into his eyes and say what they both were thinking. But that was years ago. 

“Go post up at the bar. Gimme a couple. Beers free.” She smiled, giving Sam’s arm a slap. 

“Aye aye captain.” He laughed skulking over. 

“You.” She pointed at Dean. “Come with me. I need to check those.” She waved him into the kitchen, pulling up a metal stool for him to sit on. She gathered supplies in silence. He could see the war she had raging on in her head. He didn’t like it one bit. 

“We gonna talk about it?”

“Talk about what?” She asked flatly, eyes trained on the supplies she was laying out. 

“Oh I know you got more brains in that pretty little head than you’re letting on.”

“De you wanna poke the bear?” She huffed a breath cleaning her arm and throwing another bandage on her newest slice.

“Ellie I know you know we heard.”

“You want a cookie or…”

“Hey smartass… stow the attitude and look at me. It’s me El. I see right through your shit.” He was met with silence. 

She moved to him, her face cold as stone as she positioned herself in front of him. He waited for something but when he didn’t come he tried to scratch his head, a twinge of pain radiating in his chest. She stopped his arm, gently bringing it back down. His hands pulled her closer as she stood between his legs. Her eyes as usual avoiding his at all costs. She pulled at the hem of his shirt, doing most of the work for him as his eyes near about burned a hole in her head. She removed his bandages taking in the work she had done last night. It looked like the magic she performed had sped the heeling up about a week, maybe five days? That bought him some time but he’d still be on the mend for a while. She needed to make sure there wasn’t any chance of infection. But he couldn’t see what she was doing. He couldn’t know. She had to be sneaky. But after last night could she take that chance? The toll it took on her body alone was enough to warrant hesitation.

“El, talk to me.” His voice was deep, but soft. Pleading almost and it tugged at her heart.

“What do you want me to say.” 

“Something.” There was a pregnant pause and she wrestled with herself.

“I hate him.” She whispered.

“I don’t blame you. Got a similar feeling for the old drunk right now myself.”

“I hate him so much.” Her eyes began to well up. He breathed her in, she smelt like roses and fresh autumn rain. A bit of iron crossed his nose… her blood. God he wanted to fix this for her. Go back in time. 

“He can’t just walk back in here and… and…”

“Hey one thing I get? Shitty dads. Kind of my expertise.”

“I can’t trust him. He lied to me about everything. He tore me away from the little I did have.” He didn’t say anything, just let it roll off her shoulders. 

“He manipulated everything. Ruined everything. He thinks its justified for some reason but won’t tell me what it is. He always said it was because he was never meant to be a dad but he did just fine raising Tommy. Raising you two.”

“El…”

“I don’t blame you guys… god I sound like such a bitch.”

“No you sound betrayed.” 

“Lost.”

“Not anymore. Ellie you just got a second lease on life… you can come back… you’d be safer-“

“I’m not going back with him… after everything? Hell no. I’ve been safe enough up here. I’m staying. He is going. After some time, you and Sam are going to have to go to.”

“Ellie.”

“Dean I’m not stupid. Its the nature of the business De okay? I’ve known this is a pit stop. I’m calling it what it is.” She pinched her nose. 

“Look let me fix this… heal you up. Get you some food.” 

He hands fell to her arms, two fingers holding on lightly as Dean held himself back from snatching her up and not letting her go. 

“You really think that? Pit stop? Really?” 

“I know how the life works De.” She whispered. 

“Do you remember my promise?” He asked quietly. “Do you?”

“We were kids.”

“But I always came back Ellie. Always. I didn’t know it and I still found you again.”

“And look where this has gotten us. Bleeding and pissed. Doesn’t change what you do or my circumstances. What ever is out there? What ever came for me that night… the demon that…” She shuddered. “It’s not going to stop. I’m safe here. Thats that.”

“Came for you? What- El I thought you said Bobby moved you up here before anything found you.” She sucked a breath in realizing the cat was out of the bag. 

“Sort of.”

“Sort of as in close call or sort of as in lying runs in the family and I haven’t gotten the whole truth.”

“Dean this is all complicated.”

“Yeah well I’m tired of complicated. Be honest with me and maybe me and Sam can help you. Give you a chance to get the fuck out of here.”

“You can’t. Dad always said that if anyone-“ He cut her off… his voice laced with anger. Not directed at her… no. But he could see how warped her head was after all her fathers lies. She was smarter than this. Stronger than this.

“Screw him. You have every right to be angry with him. You say you’re done listening to him but everything he has done… I remember when you used to question him. Fight him. I remember a sarcastic little spit fire that would get in the face of a man ten times her size and tear him a part word by word. You’ve always been headstrong and knew what you wanted El! Think for yourself! I know he’s your dad but he got in your head Ellie!” He hands slid down to her wrists gathering them in one of his hands as he pulled her closer, his other cradling her cheek. Her eyes closed at his warmth. “Let me help you for christ sake kid.” Her eyes squeezed shut, his voice soft as he spoke the last part. 

“I can’t tell you what I don’t know. He… he never really told me… just said because I was his kid…”

“He didn’t do this with Tommy.”

“Tommy was a hunter. He used mom’s name. No one suspected and even if they did he held his own.. He was a better hunter than Dad.”

“Then we are getting answers. He doesn’t have a choice anymore.”

“Dean he thinks he is protecting me if he keeps it quiet.”

“He’s done a shit job and from what I’ve seen you don’t need to be protected. You need answers. I’ll help you.”

“You shouldn’t have to.”

“Yeah well I’m stubborn.” He said pulling her to his chest. Her arms snaked around his neck gently as his wrapped around her frame. He wasn’t letting her go now that he found her again.

“I still need to fix you up.”

“I’m still curious how you got me this far.” He chuckled, cold ran down her spine. 

He was going to have to know. God Dean was going to flip. This is why she hadn’t reached out to him. If he knew what she could do… he’d never help her. He’d hunt her. Thats why her father hid her, not just from the monsters that wanted her but from the good people who didn’t know any better, who couldn’t tell her apart from the monsters of the world. God this was a shit show. She needed to tell him now. It was too late to go back, he was a dog with a bone and it was better coming from her. She grabbed an herbal rub, rolling up her sleeves she scooped some on her hands as she moved back to him. This would mask what ever magic she used. Her hands would be covered in it and the sensations could be blamed on the herbs.

“This will speed up the healing again.” She said, looking at him.

“That? Thats what fixed me this good? Goo? It looks like guacamole.”

“It’s not guacamole De.” She chuckled. “Just something with a little kick.”

“What kind of…” He trailed off, his eye falling to her thin silver bangles, one on each wrist. His hands grabbed at her bringing them closer into view as he examined them.

“Where did you get these?” His voice was gruff. 

“Dean I need to explain something… I need you to hear me.”  
“Ellie where did you get these.”

“Will made them. For me.”

“I’ve seen these markings before.” He said, the look of confusion and shock on his face. “Ellie why do you have these?”

“Look De… I’ll explain but you need to promise me that you’ll hear me… process it… understand that I’m still me.”

“What the hell is going on.” He stood up as he shouted, too fast it turned out, pulling a few stitches in the process, blood starting to ooze from his deepest cut on his left side. 

“Dean!” She called as he cried out, guiding him back to the chair. His eyes were wide, locked on to her.

“Will made these to keep me safe. Hide me… but also to keep me under control. I’m not sure what it is but… I can do things. I… here.” She said deciding showing him was better than telling him. Maybe if he saw how she helped him… he wouldn’t think badly of it. Would think she was evil.

She washed the cream off her hands, moving slowly to him. She was inches away from his face, vulnerable and locked in side his reach. He could snap her neck in a seconds time if he wanted. But she needed him to trust her. She felt lightheaded as she breathed him in. Her hands ghosted over his heart, her small icy fingers heating up on his skin as she held them over his wound. She closed her eyes, feeling him again. His pulse, his heart, the torn skin she wanted so desperately to fix. She felt the sparks tingle in her nerves as her power flowed to the area that needed it the most. She stood there for a moment, Dean felt the electricity vibrate in his chest as breathed through it. He felt the skin reach back together, tissue pulling itself and binding to the torn flesh. It felt like it took hours but it only lasted a moment until she became unsteady on her feet, faltering to the side, his arms grabbing her. Her hands fell to her head as she tried to catch her breath, feeling like the wind was knocked out of her. Dean stared at her, a look she recognized as horror. His eyes fell to his chest. He stood quickly, moving to the sink in the corner seeing she had indeed healed him considerably. He was absolutely speechless. A thousand questions running through his mind as he gawked at his flesh, now scabbed over like it had been time that had heeled him, not magic. He turned to begin grilling her when he saw her stumble to the counter. 

“Ellie!” He moved to her in an instant. Grabbing her elbows and pulling her into him, his head leaning down to rest on her chin, her shoulder leaning into him as he felt her tremble. 

“What the fuck was that.”

“I’m sorry.” She choked out. He pulled her to the stool, bending to find her eyes. Her head falling to his shoulder, her body weakened. 

“Why? Why are you sorry?”

“Because I don’t know what I am but I’m not human. I lied to you. I… I just wanted to help you. To fix you and…” She sounded out of breath.  
“What you think I’m going to be angry about this? I mean yeah one hell of a secret but El… what are you scared of.”

“You’re a hunter De. You hunt things. I’m a thing.”

“Oh you fucking idiot.”  
“Excuse me?” She called as she forced herself up.

“Singer family is a bunch of fucking idiots. You are all fucking morons. You think what? I’m gonna hunt you?! I know you Ellie! You’re not some monster. Hiding it from me to keep you safe from everything out there? I get that. But how could you ever think you’d be unsafe with me? How could you ever think I would hurt you? That I could hurt you?”

“Dad… he…”

“Thats fucking it. Chips on the table now. This ends today.” He growled reaching for his shirt he struggled for a moment to get it on before whisking her off the stool and marching them both into the bar. Sam shot up surprised at the vehement entrance he had made. They shared a look almost reading each others minds. Sam didn’t know what was happening but he was about to back what ever Dean was on to. 

“Every body is gonna listen up because I’ve had it with this shit.” Dean hissed, his eyes on Bobby sitting in the corner of the room. He slowly got up approaching the three of them. Ellie was terrified. This was not how it was supposed to go. This was quickly going to hell in a Hand basket. 

“Seven years. Seven Fucking years of a lie and I’m done with it. Honesty is the only option we have right now cause all these stories are making me wanna blow my brains out. Cards. Table. Now. You moved Ellie up here years ago for what reason.” 

“I had demons on my tail. They wanted her.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a hunter Dean.”

“Remember how I said honesty? Strike one.”  
“Watch your tone with me boy.” Bobby spat.

“No. See I’ve come to find out a lot of interesting information in the last day. And I gotta tell you its odd because its not adding up to shit you’ve told me my entire life. So either you come clean real fast or you’re not gonna like what I do next. So I’m gonna ask again. What happened the night you brought her up here.” Ellie stood just behind Dean, his hand still holding her wrist, her hand clutching him for dear life. She was about to get answers she didn’t know that she wanted now. 

“Demons. They came. Attacked us. One almost took her… he had her in the house… he… I exorcised it. Grabbed her and the two of us sped up here gushing blood. My brother in law… Will… he owned this place. He took us in. Cleaned us up. I knew that thing wasn’t done with her. I left her there, hidden. Cloaked and I laid a trail all over with the help of a seer. Did what I could to make it look like she was with me.”

“And just decided to not come back. Why was it after her?” Bobby faltered slightly. Looking like he took a punch to the gut. 

“I can’t tell you son.”

“You can and you will.”

“It puts her in danger.”  
“Yeah? Well we’re shit outta luck then.” He called, lifting his shirt to show the wounds she had healed. Sam’s eyes went wide falling on a panicked Ellie who was making herself smaller and smaller with each passing moment, silent tears falling from her eyes.

“You stupid girl.” Bobby hissed taking a step to her. Sam stood in synch with Dean yanking her behind him. 

“I think telling me was the smartest thing she’s done. You know what? Don’t tell me. Tell her. She is the one who deserves to know why you burned her world to the ground. You full on Anne Franked her man. So come clean.”

He looked torn, panicked. Lost and backed in to a corner. Falling to a stool he welled up. She had never seen her father cry. Never seen him weak or hopeless. But he had to tell her. It didn’t change what he had done. All these lies weren’t helping her anymore. 

“All I ever wanted was to keep you safe. Keep her away from you. Ellie what you can do… it came from your mother.”  
“You told me she was human!” 

“She was! She was… but she came from a long line of witches. They used ancestral magic. Neutral magic not good or evil… but she used it to hurt people. To help herself. It’s true I met her on a hunt. We spent a weekend together and I was head over heels for her. I thought she was a civilian. Tommy took so well to her… I laid down some roots in that town. We had a life… I thought I could finally give Tommy a chance. But three months in she vanished. If I wasn’t a hunter I wouldn’t have been able to find her but 8 months later I tracked her down to a small town in Mexico. She had just given birth to you. When I first saw you… she was at some little corner shop with you in her arms, she was talking to you. Holding you. God kid you had the biggest head of hair I’d ever seen, dark like hers. I wanted to go up to her right then and there but I was frozen. I followed her and ready to finally talk to her… but three women flanked you two. Guided you into the woods. I didn’t know what was going on… but the moment they stopped I realized what was happening.” Tears were steaming down both of their faces. Sam and Dean waiting but in shock. Her hands white knuckling Deans as her father shattered any image she had of her mother.

“They all started chanting, fires were lit, theres was this stone table she had you on… and… and this dagger. They were going to kill you. Sacrifice you. I killed most of the coven… two getting away. Your mother was the only one who was left. She knew who I was… she begged me to let her go… to let her take you. She said she had to or she’d die. She found me… but conception took longer than she planned. She had you to siphon your power. You were a part of a prophecy. She said she had to kill you or her ancestors would do it themselves. She tried to take you… I knocked her out. Grabbed you and shagged ass back to the states. I brought you back to Tommy and we hid at the salvage yard. I had to keep you off the radar. Keep you safe. Keep you hidden. The demon that… that hurt you? That did… what he did. He worked for her. He was supposed to bring you to her. I thought you were safe with us but your powers were growing and they had tracked you. Will knew how to keep you safe. He knew some ways to hide you. And keep your powers at bay. I was out of my mind Ellie. I didn’t know what to do. I handled what was in front of me. I laid the trail and she tracked me down. Almost killed me. Told me after all these years she needed you, that her death was coming soon if she didn’t. She tried to kill me but I got away. I realized I had to stay away. I was as much of a threat if she could find you through me and honey I couldn’t let her find you. I’m so sorry but I would rather you hate me than have her get her hands on you.”

Five minutes. Five minutes went by before anyone moved. Before any sounds were made. No it wasn’t moments that lasted forever. Five minutes before Ellie pulled her hands from Deans. Five minutes before she marched in the kitchen only to return moments later with a bottle of top shelf whiskey she won in a poker game. She said nothing as she moved behind the U shaped bar. She grabbed four glasses sliding one to Sam, then Dean, then slowly placing one down for her father. She filled them all up as they watched her waiting for some kind of response. She filled her almost to the brim, the glass still on the wood as her hand curled around it.

“Fuck.” She whispered harshly before slamming back her glass. This was a fucking disaster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can a bitch get some feedback? PLEASE


	4. His Hope & Her Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slap on your seat belts nerds shits about to get weird.

Four glasses more for the boys, one for her, and a delivery pizza later and still no one had spoken. The all sat there staring at her as her eyes glazed over. She was shutting down. Sensory overload. Everything she knew had yet again been torn to shreds. She didn’t know what was up and what was down. She didn’t know what to do next. She was paralyzed. Bobby finally decided after over an hour enough was enough.

“I got no right to be sayin’ much of anything but darlin…”

“I gotta call Dan. Gonna close the bar for the day. I… I need some time.” Her voice was flat, monotone.

“Yeah okay.” Bobby whispered. 

She moved, collecting the glasses as she tried to process everything that happened. She was still weak from healing Dean yet again and the whiskey wasn’t doing her any favors as she stumbled into the bar.

“I can’t believe you.” Dean said low. Eyes trained on his beer. Anger oozing from his pours.

“You have no idea where my head was at. I had no idea what to do.”

“Bobby she’s not a cursed object you can keep in a box where no one can get a hold of it! She’s a person! You’re fucking kid!”

“And she’s alive! She’s pissed but she’s alive!”

“And she’s reeling! Hiding her I get but hiding who she is? What’s after her? Hiding key facts about her wasn’t help. It wasn’t protection. It was selfish!” They were nose to nose now, Sam standing up, not yet interfering but ready to at a moments notice. “You don’t have a kid! You don’t know what it was like! In a matter of hours I learn I got a kid only to see her own mother throw her on some satanic chopping block! I had my world turned upside-down!” He roared.

“And now so has she. You really expected her to go a life time not knowing!? She was going to find out one way or another. It’s a miracle she hasn’t been found but if she stays up here… alone? It’s only a matter of time. How could you lie to us? How could you keep this from us? After all these years, all we’ve been through? We told you about Sam… because you’re family. That was just as heavy as her. But you what? Couldn’t trust us?”

“I can’t trust anyone! Not with her!”

“You stole her from m- from us. Took her away and we had to burn a cadaver? Mourn her. Bobby this has all gone way too far!”

“Oh not this again. So help me boy you take one step outta line-“

“Don’t you fucking dare. Don’t play her father. Don’t pretend you have that right anymore.”

“I’ll kill you myself if you lay a hand on her.”

“And I outta kill you right now on principle!” Dean roared as Ellie rushed from the kitchen. Bobby raised his fist to Dean striking him hard, before Sam could step in Ellie was there pushing him back.

“Stop!” She screamed. Bobby letting out another yell as she whipped around, eyes throwing daggers like he had never seen. He froze at the sight of her, like an animal protecting what was hers.

“Don’t you fucking dare. I didn’t just almost knock myself on my ass only to have to heal him again.” Dean had never heard her voice so dark. She kept a hand on his chest as she faced her father, back up as Dean pulled her closer his hand on her fore arm. Her eyes stayed on her father as she spoke. “You brought them to me. You opened this can of worms and you don’t get to bitch about the aftermath. I don’t wanna hear a word from you, I don’t even want to look at you right now.” She barked.

“Sam take him upstairs. Keys are behind the bar. Put Bobby in the room two doors down from you. He needs rest.” She spat out. Dean’s chest was heaving, anger rushing through him. Sam jumped into action, grabbing the keys and shoving Bobby through to the inn. Dean and Ellie stayed frozen there for a moment. She turned to him, his shirt sticky and wet. He pulled his fucking stitches again. 

“Jesus fuck Winchester I swear to god you’re trying to kill me.” She pushed him back to his seat, grabbing scissors and slicing his shirt.

“Wha- what the hell! What if I liked that shirt.”

“Tough shit I’ll buy you a new one. Sit back… this… this is gonna hurt.” He barely had time to process her words when a surge hit him like a brick wall. A light fell from her hands, wind blowing from the sheer force of the power she was emanating. It lasted seconds but it was more powerful than before. She stumbled forward, Dean catching her once again. She was almost completely passed out when he shook her awake.

“We gotta stop meeting like this.” She laughed, her voice barely there.

“What the fuck was that?!”

“Look.” She breathed out, her hand falling to his chest. Tracing pink scars were all that was left of the gashes that hours ago almost took his life.

“I had to heal it… you kept tearing them with all that alpha male bullshit.”

“Fuck El you’re bleeding.” She brought a hand to her nose, more blood than last time. 

“Yeah… unfortunate side effect.” She chuckled but he wasn’t having it. Grabbing a napkin he held it softly to her nose.

“Is that-““From the magic? Yeah. Not sure why. Comes at a price I guess. I’ve used more in the past day than I have in years. No warm up… this is my version of a pulled muscle.”

“No more.”

“You sound like him.” He scoffed at the comparison. 

“On me. For this. You’re hurting yourself.”

“But you’re safe. Thats all I needed. I can’t… You almost died you ass. I found you again and you… I thought you weren’t going to make it De… I couldn’t just let it slide.”

“Just no more. I’m okay now thanks to you.”

“I’m not. De how did this happen?” She asked looking up at him. His arms around her again. God she felt like home. He didn’t understand the pull she had that was dragging him. He didn’t care though. He had felt that pull all these years, and now… having her close? It was like a weight that lifted off his soul. 

“I don’t know.”

“What happens next?”

“If someone out there wants you… wants you this bad? They need to die. You can’t run forever and I’m not waiting to do it on their terms.”

“So we… hunt her down? We… kill her.”

“No. I kill them. All of them. The coven, the leaders, the demon lackeys. Your mom… we can cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Yes she was trying to kill her, but she was her mother. No amount of hate in the world could stop her biology from at least questioning wether she could be saved. Her mind changed. A part of her she hadn’t yet noticed would come to wrestle with this. But everything was so big right now. Everything was so heavy and she couldn’t gain perspective. She couldn’t sort through the pain.

“Where do we start?”

“Well… these… the markings.” He said his fingers dancing over the bracelet. “It’s enochian. I know someone who knows something about it. Could help us.” Her panicked eyes met his. “I trust him. I trust him with you.” She knew that that wasn’t something he’d just say. After everything if someone needed to know it meant their information was vital and they were safe in his book. 

“And I’ll-“

“You’re coming with me and Sam. I’m not leaving you here defenseless.” She shot him a look and he began back peddling. “I didn’t mean- Look I know you can handle yourself. You’ve got the mojo and all but you don’t know how to use it and from what it sounds this isn’t small time players who have the price on your head. You’ve been green lit here and I’m not taking any chances. You’ve been stuck here long enough. I’m not…I’m not benching you, El. I’m not leaving you here. But sweetheart you need to let me take the lead. We go out there and its a whole new ball game. You’ve been here and things have changed. We don’t know much so it’s a fucking risk taking you but this is your fight too.”

She didn’t know what to say. Finally someone was treating her like a person and not some damsel. She never thought it’s be him. He had a possessive and protective streak with Sam when they were kids. And the few times she was let out and about… he had it with her too. Bad. She was terrified of going but she knew he was right. Her life was hers now. Sam walked in as she gazed up at him. Dean snapping up to him.

“He’s settled.” Sam said, short and sweet.

“Good.”

“So. You got a plan?”

“Yup.” Dean said popping the P at the end.

“We gonna kill every one?”

“Sure are.”

“She coming with?”

“Of course.” He scoffed, almost offended. 

“Calling Cas about the-“

“Obviously.”

“This is gonna get bloody.”

“Oh yeah.” Dean chuckled.

“Way above our pay grade?”

“More than usual.”

“Odds are shitty?”

“Oh hell yeah we’re fucked.”

“You gonna put a shirt on first or full Tarzan this shit?”

“Someone cut mine in half. Not the sexy way either” He said turning slightly to throw her a smirk. And there was the Dean Winchester she knew so well.

“Cool. Whiskey?”

“Fuck yes.” Dean poured the two another glass, they clinked them together downing the amber liquid, hissing at the burn. They poured another and Sam shook his head slightly at the heat of it. She missed this. How they worked together. She was convinced they had some kid of twin telepathy from all the shared trauma. God they were unreal. Sam clapped his hands together and slid them back and forth like he was a Boy Scout trying to light a fire.

“Great. Well this has been super fun. I’m gonna go crash and pretend like this isn’t happening.”  
“Wheels up first thing.”

“As long as you’re driving. I’ll be getting hammered in our room if you need me.” He said deadpan snatching the whiskey bottle. “Ellie I missed you. We are gonna fix this. We’ve got you.” She shot him a loving smile. “I really did miss you.”

“I missed you too Sam.” He pulled her in for a tight hug. Leaning down to her level whispering in her ear.

“If he crosses a line I will fuck him up for you. He might be my brother… but I’m telling you he gets pushy… about anything. You tell me. Bullet. Knee caps. No questions asked.” She pulled back smiling feeling the dried tears on her face. 

“Thank… you?” She said slowly not sure if it was the right response. 

“Night.” He said before turning towards the inn.

“It’s 11 am…”

“Not when you’re black out!” He called not turning as he waved the bottle of whiskey as he left.

“Since when does he drink like you?”

“Since Dad.” He said quietly. 

“De-“

“No. It’s been years. I’m okay now.”

“You’re really gonna drop everything and help me?”

“Who says I’m dropping anything.” 

“Tommy told me the stories Dean. You guys save the world like twice a year.”

“It’s all bullshit. A lot of creative liberty. Bullshit exaggeration. Usually bloodier.”

“Still.”

“I just got you back. I’m not letting you go again.” He said looking deeply at her, unwavering. “Come on. Lets clean up and I can call Cas.”

She nodded. Him leading her upstairs not really sure where her apartment was in the maze that was her inn. The stairs were steep and the hallways were so narrow in shoulders barely fit next to her. The wood was dark and smelt like years of smoke and whiskey. Probably a fire or two here. She lead him past the room he was in with Sam, hearing the TV muffled behind the wood. National Geographic channel or something. Nerd, he thought. One more set of stairs to an attic that she had turned into a studio. She had a small kitchen, a fire place, small table, a leather sofa and arm chair he used to sleep on at Bobby’s and a day bed over by the big window that lead to a small porch lined with an iron railing. He noticed iron fixtures everywhere, a salt ring around her bed that looked like it had been built upon each night. A devils trap on the ceiling and a small iron door with warding sigils. He looked around more, noticing warding sigils everywhere. The color just slightly different than the grey paint on the walls. He looked up at the subtle devils trap on the ceiling just above the door. It looked not drawn or painted on, but placed, welded. It was made of iron and attached to the ceiling. Bobby made her a damn panic room to live in.

“Not playing around up here was he?”

“What?”

“The room. Warded up the ass little Singer.”

“Yeah. A combination of wardings from almost every lore book from every culture and continent I collected. Most of them going back thousands of years, some even biblical.” She pointed at her bookshelf that stood next to the fireplace. “Not just from demons either. Witches, reapers, hell even angles just for kicks. If you believe in that sort of thing. Can’t be too careful.” She said as she grabbed two beers from the fridge, popping off the tops and setting one down in front of him as he sat himself in the chair. 

“Ha. Well just so you know? They are real.” He said with a smirk, knowing she wasn’t going to buy it.

“Yeah. Okay hot shot.” She laughed as she washed her hands.

“Bobby really set this up for you? Paranoid.” He taunted. 

“Actually he dropped me off at the end of the drive way and drove off like a bat outta hell. I did this. Collected every book I could find to make sure I was safe.” She said as she grabbed a rag, leaning against the counter.

“You did this?” She slung the towel over her shoulder and took a long swig.

“I was scared. I had no control, no skills to fight back if that thing came for me. Dad was gone. Yeah Uncle Will was here but he was older. I needed to make sure I was protected. I liked to read and the only books Will had… lore books. Educated myself in ways Dad refused to. Hell after Will taught me how to sew hunters up, a few came by as regulars. Started calling in for help when they hit roadblock. Lore, weapons, resources. I was the one they went to. No one knew who I was. Will told them I was a bartender who was smarter than I looked. Couldn’t fight worth a damn let alone hunt but I could make sure the guys on the front lines were prepared.” Dean shook his head, a laugh escaping him.

“What?”

“You fucking Singers. No matter how hard you try you’re all the same.”

“What do you mean?”

“After Tommy Bobby hunted less. The old house became a hunters hub. Did the same thing. You guys are a lot a like.”

“Oh don’t. Don’t you dare.”

“No I’m not- shit, I’m not saying ease up on him. I wanna head down there and throttle him. It’s just… funny to me.”

“Well it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. A lot has changed.”

“You grew up.” He smirked. 

“De I’m 23… I feel like I’m still a kid.”

“No you did. You just got more time than the rest of us.” He pointed at himself. “One year and I’m over the hill.”

“Yeah well you don’t look 30.” She chuckled. God hearing that number made him feel slightly guilty for what he was about to do. But he didn’t care. The pull was too strong. He moved across the room in seconds trapping her against the counter. 

“I fucking missed you.” His voice wrecked, the space between them practically non existent. His breath was thick in his lungs, his breathing was labored just from how close she was. He was drinking her in as she wavered in his presence, clearly feeling it too. She couldn’t think when he was this close. Neither of them understood it. 

“De.” She breathed out, her body melding to his. Her beer forgotten on the counter and her hands on his chest. She looked up at him through hooded lashes. She was a foot shorter than him. He stood over her like a lion sizing up his dinner. Her skin felt hot, her stomach curling at his proximity. Her breath just as labored as his. She wasn’t pushing him away, but she was keeping a barrier. Unsure of what to do. 

He leaned down slowly, not wanting to frighten her, but unable to not close the gap. His lips brushed hers and any nervousness she had was far away as their lips danced, slow at first, but the passion in it heating up. He gripped the counter trying to stop himself but of course he gave in. They found her hips, her shirt sliding up as he lifted her effortlessly to the counter top setting her down and grinding his hips into her as she wrapped her legs around his waist. His hands melded to her back and her hands framed his face as they soaked each other up. Her little sounds he was coaxing from her spurring him on like a beast. He went rigid, pulling back from her. He grunted trying to maintain his composure. His head fell to her shoulder as she held onto him shuddering slightly. 

“I’m sorry… I… I don’t know why it’s this hard.” She giggled quietly, her mind going to a dirty pun. “Not what I meant.”

“I don’t know either.”

“I do.” A husky voice called from just outside her door. Like a flash of lightning Dean’s gun was drawn and trained on the dark figure in the doorway. She hopped off the counter, panic replacing her arousal. Clinging to his back in fear. He could feel her tremble, his heart pumping as he readied himself for a fight only to realize who it was as he got closer. He dropped the gun, his head falling with it for a moment as he sucked in a breath.

“Damnit Cas! Jesus Fuck you- Not the day to go popping up dude. Mother of-“

“There is no need for such profanity. In any means I could not enter if I wanted to. You did a remarkable job Eleanore. Not much could harm you in there.” He felt her go stiff, her icy fingers clinging to his sides. 

“You… you know who I am?” She asked peaking out from behind his broad shoulders slightly.

“Of course.”

“Ellie… this is Cas. The one I told you about. He can help us.” Dean looked behind him, speaking softly before turning back to the angel. “Cas how did you know we needed you? I didn’t call you yet.” 

“Sam called me. He assumed you’d be otherwise... engaged. He is quite inebriated at the moment. He said he wanted to make sure I came before you… did anything untoward.”

“Oh well wasn’t that fucking kind of him. Can you give us a minute? Meet us in the bar?” He nodded disappearing into thin air with a flap of his wings. 

“What the hell?” 

“Yeah he does that.” He scoffed turning to her. “I’m sorry I don’t why I was that…”

“Excited? Don’t be. I… I feel it too.”

“The pull?” She nodded, blush creeping up on her face.

“Yes!” He groaned finally he wasn’t alone. He sucked in a breath realizing he had yelled louder than anticipated. “Look you’re covered in blood, again. I’m half naked. Lets get dressed and go see wings.”

“Wings?” She asked.

“Um… well. Cas is… Cas is an angel. Wings, harp, diaper on a cloud. Whole nine.”

“What?” She crunched her nose up. “Dean you’re saying-“

“That angels are real and theres one waiting in your bar right now to give us some answers? Yeah.”

“Shit.”

“Yeah.”

“But he seemed so… rough. Cold.”

“They’re more like soldiers. Most of them are junkless dicks, kinda glad you wardered this place just incase. But Cas… he’s a cool guy. Saved my ass and kinda turned his back on the rest of those ass clowns to help me and Sam a couple times. We can trust him.” He placed another kiss on her lips. This time soft and slow. “Come on. Lets get changed.”

She pulled him to her dresser pulling out a box. She grabbed a black Henley handing it to Dean. Pulling out a grey T-shirt she quickly slipped it over in place of her old one, pulling it off from underneath. 

“I’ll never understand how you girls pull those magic tricks.”

“Had to learn thanks to peeping toms.” She smirked. “You noticed the moment you show up all my clothes are covered in blood.”

“Sorry.”

“Ehh I got tide.”

“You ready for this?”

“Fuck no.”

“Good neither am I.” He said extending a hand. She took it and they moved themselves down to the bar, uncertainty pooling in their stomachs at what answers they’d find. There Cas was staring at the wall. She couldn’t help but think how odd he was. 

“Cas.”

“Dean.”

“How much do you know.”“Sam was… less than helpful. But I took a peak at the evening. I know what you know. And a little more.” He said glancing down at the pair’s interlocked hands. They hadn’t even realized that they were still linked.

“Well that was vague.” She chuckled. Dean rolled his eyes.

“Cas… what is she?”

“Human. But a great power resides in her.”

“Because of my mother.” He nodded. “And what my dad said… about her… sacrificing me. Or trying to, thats all true?”

“Yes. To fulfill the prophecy.” He said plainly. 

“Look Cas can you just skip to the good stuff or are we going to keep playing 21 questions.”

“I’m not playing a children’s game Dean.”

“Fu-“ Dean breathed out, running a hand down his face. “Cas can you tell us what we don’t know. Fill in the blanks… all at once.”

“Her mother is a powerful witch, that you know. She is still hunting Eleanore. She has broken of from her coven, enslaved demons to find her. The ritual they had preformed was and old one. A child that was conceived from of one sided love, in the month of all hallows eve on a bed of spell work would hold a power like no one has seen before. Once that child was born it was to be slaughtered on the stone table during the first eclipse, passing what they call root magic to each member of the coven, strengthening them. But after your father killed the coven, it was disassembled and they all began hunting her down to take her magic for themselves.”

“So wait, not only is my mother hunting me down with a hoard of demons but the two other psychos that survived are also gunning for me?”

“And all of hell.” 

“Excuse me?”

“You’re a commodity. Your mother and her ex sisters know of you but if hell gets ahold of you every witch, every coven on the planet will hear of you and they will sell you off to the highest bidder.”

“Fuck.” She shook her head in disbelief.

“Friggin hate witches.” Dean mumbled. She shot him a look. “Wait… no hold on… I… I didn’t mean… well not… you don’t count.” She tried not to laugh as he tripped over his own words, realizing he was in fact standing next to one he cared very deeply for. 

“Not to mention the bounty that would be added in order to get to Dean. Any weak spot on a Winchester will be targeted but anything evil. Pair that with you having the blood of Robert Singer and you my child are the most wanted thing on the planet.”

“Sorry what about Dean?”

“Your soul bond.” The two blinked at the angel not grasping what he was saying. He rolled his eyes. “Dean do you remember the case we worked with the rouge cupid? Or what we thought was a rouge cupid?”

“Shit… uh yeah. Years ago. Couple that literally ate each other, the two who killed themselves to be together. What about it?”

“The marks they had on their hearts. The ones placed by cupids to bind soulmates together. You two share a version of that. Your hearts aren’t just marked… your souls are. Every life you will live, have lived. Every universe you two exist in no matter the plane, are bound to each other. You are the highest form of soulmates possible. Extremely rare. Third in all of creation.”

The two stood there dumbfounded. The pull, the ache to be near one and other. The intensity of it all made sense to them now. They didn’t know how to process this. Yes they were drawn to each other like they had been chained to a rocket but they had been apart for seven years. This was so much information to process. They were trapped in their own minds. Sam’s slurred speech was what brought them back.

He was standing by the door, obviously had over heard Castiel explaining it all to them. Whiskey bottle in hand mostly gone, hair disheveled, his shirt half tucked in and one sock limply placed on his foot. He glanced down at the bottle in hand, squinting at the three as he thought over their words. 

“Fuck how drunk am I?” He stood there for a moment before tucking tail and retreating to his room. Cas approached Ellie, Dean almost pulling her away. Cas shot him a look as he reached out and guided her to a table, kneeling at her feet as he inspected her bangles. Her eyes were locked on Deans, as his were locked on her.

“Well made. Powerful spell work. Your Uncle was a true craftsman. This metal is made from an angel blade, he must have melted it down to make sure no one could take them off. The spell work though, its cloaking you yes. And your magic is under control compared to if they were not on, but the magical bounce back if you will is much stronger. Tell me when you use your abilities… what happens to you.” Not looking from her soulmate she spoke softly.

“Depends. Bigger the magic bigger the consequence. Sometimes I get dizzy, other times I get a nose bleed. The night I heeled Dean, he was bad.” She bowed her head in shame, remembering the panic she felt. How she knew she had to save him. “I didn’t know if I could save him with out using my powers. I… Uh… I passed out after. Woke up a few hours later I think.”

“Well thats because Dean was dead. Half way to heaven when you pulled him down. This will have created a surge. Some one will have sensed her power. Even if they don’t know its her they are bound to come looking. You four should pack up. Go somewhere safe. Somewhere far till I can find something to protect her. Maybe we can get these things off you. I know someone that could help teach you to control your powers with out having to wear these.”

“But if she doesn’t have them on, they can track her Cas.” Dean spoke up, his voice like gravel. 

“Or I could hurt someone.”

“I can shield you like these did but with out the risk of harming yourself when you access what powers you have. Though it will be painful, it will be for a moment, sore for a few days. With no need for these, you can safely practice magic.”

“What… what if I don’t want my powers? Can’t you… I don’t know… take them out of me?” Cas looked up, the first time she saw something other than stone cold nothing in his eyes. It was empathy, sadness. It ripped the little hope she had of being normal from her grasp. His hands clasped around her, is mouth tightening as he carefully chose his words before speaking.

“Eleanore… your power is a part of you. It’s root magic, that means its in your DNA, its engrained in your soul just as Dean is. You take that away… and you’re gone. Not Dead… gone. No heaven no hell… not even the empty. You just… stop existing.”

“Is that so bad?” She said so low they almost couldn’t hear her. Dean was fuming, his heart racing at the idea of her not here with him anymore, her wanting to leave him. “Then I can’t hurt anyone. Nothing to hunt, my Dad, them… no one will be coming after them.”

“If you do that… Dean’s soul goes with yours. Something I imagine that you cannot accept. Death is one thing. You would eventually be reborn along with your magic, or passed down should you and Dean have no more time required on this earth. But erase your magic and you both are gone.” She shut her eyes trying to stop the tears from breaking through. Cas shared a look with Dean. Switching places he crouched down. 

“Hey.” He whispered. “Come on. Lets sleep. Hit the road in a few hours. El… Ellie, come on sweetheart.” She nodded eyes still closed as he curled his arms around her guiding her up to her room. He laid her down on her bed with a kiss to her head and promises that he wouldn’t go far when she begged him to stay. Cas waited by the door for him, the two meeting in the hallway.

“Fuck man.” He could barely process it all. “So every bad thing on earth wants her?”

“More than anything. You and Sam? Micheal and Lucifer? It pales in comparison to this.” That threw everything in perspective. They had just gotten Sam’s soul back, just stopped the end. That was huge, but this? Small fry compared to what they were about to embark on. 

“Soulmates man? I… I don’t know man. This isn’t some hallmark movie okay? That shit… it doesn’t really mean what you’re saying it does right? Tell me you’re wrong.”

“I know your reputation Dean. I know how you think and what your Friday nights have consisted of since you lost her. But tell me… now that she’s back, now that you have her. Is that void not filled? The one you had tried to fill time and time again using carnal relations, with any woman you deemed worthy at the time? Could you stomach another woman’s touch now? Do you even want me to be wrong?” He thought long and hard even though he knew the answer already. He looked back at her on the bed, half asleep, loud and sorrow filled breaths. His heart felt like it was going to break in two. He felt the need to run and jump just to be at her side. 

“No. No I can feel it. But it puts her in even more danger.”

“Compared to the rest I actually think it might be the thing that saves her. You, the man who stops at nothing to fight an unfair destiny time and time again. One that will try and swallow her whole. And her, designed to die, to be used as a conduit. Watch her Dean. Wether she wants it or not everything in her will pull her to lay down and die as the prophecy has been written. You are the tether that pulls her back from it. You need to make sure she fights. She will be your hope, you will be her fire.” And with that the angel was gone. 

“Cryptic asshole.” He mumbled as he slumped back into her room. Dean pulled out his cellphone telling same four hours and they would be on the road. Three drunk text attempts later, Sam sent a thumbs up as it was all he could muster. Dean chuckled, shaking his head as he walked over to his sleeping soulmate. Pulling the arm chair to her side of the bed with a beer in hand, sat down slowly, her eyes drifting open just a bit. 

“Dean?”

“Shhh I’m right here. Get some sleep we’re gonna be on the road soon.”

“You should sleep.”

“Nah I slept enough. Just gonna enjoy the views baby, get some rest. I’m not going anywhere.” Her eyes drifted shut, barely open to begin with, five words falling from her lips before the darkness swept her away.

“Sorry you’re stuck with me.” 

The words burned his chest as they left her lips. Stuck with her? How could anyone be stuck with her? Soulmate or not she was the single most remarkable person he’d met. Not because of her power but because of her heart, her strength. She was everything he wanted to be. She was hardened yes, but she hadn’t lost her kindness, her sweet nature or her sass though she had every right to be jaded, but yet she wasn’t. He had to fix that. She couldn’t think that. He wouldn’t let her. He watched her drift off, eyes falling from her to the mountains just outside her window. He wasn’t sure what lied ahead. What would happen and what all this meant, but one thing he did know… he was going to slaughter anything that threatened his soul mate. Slowly and with a vengeance like no one had ever seen. He would die for his woman with a smile on his face.


	5. Get Your Sweet Sweet Ass In The Car

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short Chapter.

The water was calm, moving down the stream, not a sound in sight. A burger, a beer, and a tub of night crawlers sat next to him on the rock he had been perched on for the past hour. A line in the water and sun on his face. Dean was happy. The only sounds he could hear were those Mother Nature had created. His phone beeped, a text from Sam saying Bobby had grilled steaks waiting for him. Another text came through from Ellie saying she picked up a six pack and would meet him at the house. He smiled, their simple life making his heart sing. No mention of monsters or demons, not hunts or witches, no end of times on the horizon. Things were peaceful. It was rare he got to dream like this. Most of his dreams weren’t nightmares necessarily, but Dean doing what he did best in his waking hours. Moments like these, even if it was a dream, fed the part of Dean he tamped down, convincing himself it wasn’t an option. Not to waste time on such things. But if they came to him, he’d take a moment to soak it up. Boots crunching through gravel had him turning quickly, his heart rate slowing just slightly as he recognized who was behind him. 

“Cas man what are you doing here?”

“I had no time to waste, I called your phone twice.” Dean started to glance down at his phone when he realized. 

“That wasn’t Ellie and Sam. This is a dream isn’t it?”

“Yes. A peaceful one, might I say. But we don’t have time for this. I’m sorry I have to be so blunt but you need to grab Eleanore and run. Something is coming and you need to get her somewhere safe before they can track her down. Bring her somewhere safe and I will meet you there. I found something, a warding similar to the one I gave you and your brother. It will protect her for now.” Deans focus began to shift as soft whimpers met his ears. He tried to listen to Cas but the crying became louder. He covered his ears as the cries became louder.

“Do you hear that?”

“Dean do you hear me? You need to wake up. Now. Grab her and your brother and leave. Dean!”

“Ellie? Shit. Ellie!” He gasped, launching forward back to reality. He looked down seeing her eyebrows knitted, her eyes still close. She wasn’t moving, but tears streamed from her eyes, her breath was shallow and fast, her soft whimpers breaking his heart. He knelt beside the bed, moving her hair from her face. 

“El? El sweetheart wake up.” He cooed, trying to bring her back with out making it worse.

“Ellie come on wake up.” He said with more force in his voice. “Ellie!” He moved her shoulders slightly and she shot up, gasping for air. Dean braced her shoulder his other hand falling to her collar bone trying to ground her.

“Whoa.” He breathed out, her eyes glazed over. “Ellie?”

“I’m sorry.” She whispered, her voice barely there. 

“What?”

“I don’t know… I don’t what happened… I… I just-“

“Shhh. Easy okay I gotcha.” He said softly, pulling her head to his shoulders as she clung to his arm. He held her trying to synch their breathing when a frantic Sam came up the stairs. Ellie hadn’t moved almost unaware of him hanging in the door way, both hands grasping at it as he shared a look with Dean. 

“You too?” Dean asked. Sam nodded. Cas must have come to him too. This was not a good sign. “Fuck. Pack up, wheels up in ten. No exceptions. Get Bobby we need to clear this place.” Ellie Sat up looking at Dean, eyes puffy and filled with fear.

“Whats going on?”

“Cas… he told me, told us…” He glanced up at his brother for a moment before he disappeared down the hall again. “He told us we need to leave. I’m not sure what happened but it’s grab and go time sweetheart.” He looked at her not wanting to dismiss her current panic but he knew Cas would not have so desperately tried to reach out not only to Dean but to Sam as well. She nodded, sensing the urgency. She stood, pulling a canvas bag from under her bed beginning to pack what she could

“Sam is down stairs waiting with Bobby we need to get your bags you have five minutes.” He said voice all business as he stood to look through his bag making sure he had all his weapons. Pulling an extra clip from his bag he cataloged everything as she stood at her dresser, pausing and turning back to him.

“What? De my Dad isn’t coming.”

“El he has to.” He grumbled as he grabbed his shot gun.

“After everything he did… I don’t want him around.” 

“Ellie-“

“Don’t Ellie me. He’s a fucking liar and he’s the reason I’m in this position. Dean He’s leaving or I’m staying. I don’t give a fuck what comes knocking.” Dean stopped throwing his gun to the table as he turned to her.

“Well thats the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Excuse me?” Dean turned, walking to her with a finger pointed sternly at her.

“You’re going to lay down like a lamb for the slaughter out of what? Spite? Are you trying to win a petty award because lemme tell you it ends in everything you’ve been running from wether you knew it or not.”

“Dean he lied to me my entire life, about everything!”

“And it was wrong! I’m not saying forgive him. But he was there, he knows her, how she thinks. He is our connection and a key fucking witness to help us find her! To keep you safe. Ellie thats what all this is about!”

“Dean I am telling you I will not ride with that man, I will not sleep under the same roof as him I don’t care what you say. I can’t do it.”

“Jesus fuck my head is pounding.” Deans face fell to his hands. “You aren’t gonna make this easy are you?”

“No.”

“And those are your terms?”

“Yes.”

“Fucking hell woman.” He mumbled, standing up. “Fine. We don’t have time for this. Down stairs in five minutes and I mean it. Not a second later you need to hurry.” He said stomping down the hall to figure out their new plan. “Lost five minutes arguing with me.” He mumbled.

She sighed, looking into the mirror that hung on her wall. This was it. She was finally leaving. Something she always wanted but never thought she’d have. So why was she so scared? Shaking it off she grabbed a few pairs of black jeans, a few t shirts and tank tops. She slipped into a pair of capris to keep her warm enough in the spring air. All 8 of her flannels and any underwear she’d need. She grabbed three pairs of boots, her makeup bag if you could even call it that. Her hair brush was thrown in and she scooped up her jacket. Reaching into her closet she grabbed her “go” bag, filled with weapons, spell books, herbs and potions. Things she’d need if she was ever attacked to run with, stay safe with. Slipping on her combat boots and a thin beanie she tucked her gun behind her back and flew down the stairs. She found all three men waiting for her, a whispered argument leaving tension in the air. 

“You ready Sam? Dean?”

“Ellie this is ridiculous.” Bobby shouted. 

“Is it? Because I think its the smartest move I could make. Staying here is going to get me dead and staying with you has proven to be nothing but an ass load of lies and a waste of time. Go back home.”

“You think I’m gonna let my only daughter run around alone out there with-“

“Alone? Like I’ve been for the past seven years? I trust them to keep me safe because unlike you they’ve never lied to me!” She shouted back.

“Guys can we argue about this somewhere safer? Please?” Dean begged. 

“I know you’re angry and I’m not saying you shouldn’t be but Ellie I did what I had to do!”

“No… you did what was right for you. Dumping me was easier than parenting me! Just admit why you really did this so we can all move on!”

“Guys.” Dean warned. 

“You got no idea what went on. I just tried to do my best.”

“Guys.” Dean’s tone was louder now.

“Yeah well your best falls short by a few hundred miles. I don’t need you!”

“Guys!” Dean shouted as the door to the bar swung open. Castiel standing there, chest heaving, blood oozing from his shoulder. 

“You’ve taken too long. Three demons. I’ve fought them off but they’ll be back sooner than I’d like. Leave now.”

“Thats it.” Dean growled, moving to Ellie, grabbing her upper arm and yanking her out. “You two can hash this drama show out later right now I plan on everyone leaving here alive. Bobby take her jeep she’s riding with us. Trail us close and fast I’ve got a place for us. Cas if you can hold them off and give us time I’ll call you when we’re safe.” Cas nodded. Sam grabbing her keys and loading her jeep up with the bags and Bobby as Dean pushed her to the car.

“Dean!”

“Look I get you’re pissed but you can do that on the road. Lets get the fuck out of here, cool off and you can kick him out of the safe house. But right now we got demons breathing down our neck and I’m not letting them with in a mile of you so get your sweet, sweet ass in that car before I explode!” He was raging now, not from anger but from impatience, panic, the need to ensure her safety. “Front seat. Sam smells like whiskey and toilet water.” He shot her a smirk, throwing her bags in the trunk of baby as Sam climbed in. 

“You took my spot.” He chuckled leaning forward. 

“Yeah Colonel Mustard over there insisted. Said you smelt like crap.”

“I feel like crap. But I’m also pretty sure if he can’t see you at all times he’s gonna loose it.”

“Yeah… we uhh… Cas told us about this thing that kinda-”

“You’re soul-bonded. Yeah I heard. It’s weird as fuck but I can’t say I’m surprised.” She turned back shooting him a puzzled look just as Dean slid in the drivers seat. 

“Hang on we’re getting the fuck outta here.” He said throwing baby in drive and speeding off down the road. His face was tight, focused for the entire 6 hour drive. He was in hunter mode. On high alert almost waiting for an attack. She soon drifted off, the roar of the impala lulling her to sleep. 

Dean white knuckled the steering wheel as they flew down the road at a comfortable 80. Bobby trailing as close as he could in her jeep. Sam starred ahead watching his brother go around and around in his head. Ellie passed out, her head leaning back as the night drew on.

“So anything you want to mention?” He asked quietly, careful to not wake her.

“What do you mean.”

“Heard what Cas said. All of it man.”

“And?”

“Well thats a lot to take in isn’t it.”

“Look I’m not trying to dissect everything in our lives. She’s here, she’s safe and we are going to kill what ever is after her. Small bites man or I’m gonna loose my head.”

“I get that. Does she?”

“What?”

“Dean we’re lucky she hasn’t had a mental breakdown yet with everything thats been throw at her. She is swimming in uncertainty right now. And the thing she’s got about Bobby… I get it but thats gonna be a problem, her freezing him out and all.”

“I know. I got a plan for that.”

“Does it include lying to her.”

“Yup.”

“She’ll probably find out eventually you know.”

“She is smart.”

“And take it out of your ass.”

“Oh for sure.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“No but what choice do I have. Look she told me what she wanted, I found a loophole. If she’s safe… she needs to be safe.”

“Alright.”

“Wait thats it?”

“Yeah. Dean look as much as I’d love to have everything work smoothly I know better and I’m on board if it means we get to keep her in our lives. Loosing her… for me? For you? I know you’ve spent all this time trying to forget that pain, and I have too… but I haven’t. She’s family, now especially and I’m not giving that up.” A small smile crept on Deans face. Hearing his brothers love for his… what ever she was. It meant someone was going to fight just as hard. He wasn’t alone in this and its double the protection. Maybe they had a shot at this. Just maybe.


	6. What Must Be Done

The spring rain had hit, chilling her bones just a little. She felt a small jilt from beneath her that woke her. Looking in front of her was a small cabin, surrounded by thick dense forrest. She rubbed her eyes as she stood, looking over at a smiling Dean as she heard the trunk open. 

“We’re here?” She asked, still groggy.

“Yeah Sam’s got the bags.”

“How long was I out?”

“About 5 hours. Pretty much the whole drive. Feeling rested?”

“Yes and no.” She yawned as she grabbed at the door handle, his hand softly wrapped around her wrist. 

“El… we need to talk.” She turned back to him curious as to what the next big dilemma was. 

“About?”

“Your father.” She rolled her eyes.

“Look I sent him away okay? He’s not here. He left your jeep. Not sure where he went off to but I need you to think about letting him help us. He lived with her for months. He tracked her down before, he can do it again.”

“And he let her into his life. He had been a hunter before and was so googly-eyed that he couldn’t see she was a monster. If he had paid attention he would have seen the signs, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be this.”

“El… look you're mad, I get it. But your grasping at straws here looking for every reason to be pissed when you have all the ammo you need. You're looking for his mistakes instead of seeing he's an asset."

“No Dean… he's just an ass. Look I’m not doing this right now.”

“And I’m not saying you have to. Just think about it.” She glanced at him realizing how much he meant it. Realizing how much he wanted to help her. She tore her eyes from him, down to the bracelets wrapped around her wrists as she fidgeted with it.

“Fine. Okay. I’ll think about it. I can’t promise I’ll change my mind.”

“Not asking you to. Just to give it some thought. Let all this cool down.” She nodded slightly. “Come on. Lets get settled in, start warding the place up. Then we can call Cas and see what he can do to cloak you.”

The climbed from the car, the smell of mountain air filled her lungs as she made her way up the steps, stopping to wait for Dean as he pulled the last of the bags from his trunk. Sam was inside already warding the walls and windows. The main room took up most of the space, a small kitchen to the left and the living room to the right with a futon on the far corner. A small hallway led back to what looked to be bedrooms. The exposed rug was old and frayed, the leather sofa worn and indented. It would have looked like a vacation home if the wall weren’t lined with weaponry and ammo. The kitchen had an entire cupboard of salt, holy water, holy oil, pretty much anything a hunter could need. She opened the fridge finding beer and jar after jar of blood. Some labeled dead mans blood, others labeled lambs blood. She peered back slightly, looking to Sam. 

“So a hunters cabin?” Sam glanced over at her, nose turned up. He realized what she found and couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yeah, how’d you guess.”

“Well considering the weapons cache only a Texan could love... and the stench of paranoia in the air…”

“Hey we aren’t paranoid. We are prepared.” Dean cut in trying to act serious, the ghost of a crooked smile playing on his lips. “Sammy’s got the back room and El you can take this one.” He said pointing to the door next to the fire place. He placed her bags down in front and opened the door slightly as she walked over. It was small, looked remarkably similar to her own room. A simple wooden bed, though larger than hers with quilts and plenty of pillows. There was a small closet and a dresser that had seen better days. The light in the room was dim, just one lamp on the night stand. 

“Dean I can take the so-“ Dean shot Sam a look with a few snaps of his fingers. Ellie shot him a puzzled look but he pushed past it. 

“We’re gonna be here for a while so you can hang stuff up if you want.”

“Where are we?”

“Few hours out. Wanted to head further north. This place is pretty well buried. Sam can head into town for food and stuff. Get some essentials.”

“Honestly I wouldn’t mind food. I’m starving.”

“Your wish is my command.” He mocked, curtsying and struggling to hold his balance as she laughed at him. “What are you thinking.”

“Beers and burgers?” Dean dramatically placed a hand over his heart.

“Woman…”

“Oh shut up.” She laughed rolling her eyes. Dean left her to get settled in. The little light that was there was warm. She noticed the small fire place that must have mirrored the one in the living room, reminding herself to ask Dean for wood. The Cabin wasn’t the warmest. The lights barely worked. But it was a hide away they could use to gather themselves and she was grateful. She unloaded some clothes into the dresser, setting up her toiletries on top. She hung what she could in the closet and took a moment sitting on the bed. The mattress was old but welcomed her form as she sunk in. The quilt was soft as she ran her hand over it. She couldn’t believe she had actually done it. She actually made it out of there. She had her answers finally, and as overwhelming as it was Dean had convinced her that she could fight back for once instead of running. Maybe this was her shot she thought. But she looked down at her wrists, the thin tight bangles with the enochian carvings on them and that familiar voice crept in. They were the only things keeping her under control. The only things that kept her from harming herself or others. She trusted Dean’s faith in Cas to keep her hidden but the hunters nor the angel could do much about what was brewing inside her. Knowing not only what it was and how powerful she was intended to be… maybe keeping them on was the right move. She couldn’t use her powers, not for more than what she had done for Dean, parlor tricks, and defending herself if absolutely necessary. Anything more would be too much of a risk.

She stood, looking at herself in the mirror. Her braid was disheveled, her eyes had bags under them despite all the sleep she had gotten since Dean had arrived. Her skin was pale and a look of absolute numbness was plastered on her face. She pulled the hair tie out releasing it down over her shoulders, the kinks from the braid adding a soft wave to it. She looked at the ends of it, dry from the deep red hair color she had put in it months ago. The red now mostly grown out, her jet black hair taking its place. She thought about cutting it. Changing it? Maybe coloring it again. Then she realized no good hair decision was made when you’re freaking the fuck out and your world had been turned inside out on you. She grimaced slightly remembering the bangs she gave herself with rusty scissors after Tommy had passed. Horrendous. She brushed out what she had making her peace with her looks for now, kicking her shoes into the closet and pulling her sleeves down over her hands, balling up the black shirt in her fingers as a weak attempt to ground herself. She could hear the boys moving around, hushed voices thrown back and forth. Being around them again was coming home. It wasn’t Sioux Falls, or the salvage yard that was home. It was Sam and Dean… and Tommy. Her heart hurt for a moment as his absence became apparent to her in that moment. Them being back together was a blessing, but only a part of one. Yes she felt at peace and like things had shifted into place, but her big brother was gone. And she missed him more now seeing what the two boys had. 

Dean hovered by the door for a moment before turning back to a cocky looking Sam with his arms folded and his eyebrows perked up.

“No way in hell are you gonna crawl into that girls bed tonight you sick fu-“

“I’m on the futon you pervert. Back room has more windows, more access points. Hers has one and the easiest escape route. I’m on the futon if anything comes through that door. Get your mind out of the gutter its not like that.”

“Yeah then whats it like?”

“Sam? Shut the fuck up and unpack.”

“Love sick.” Sam chuckled under his breathe.

“What was that?”

“Nothing. Look whats our first move?”

“We call Cas and make sure she’s hidden.”

“After that I mean. And Bobby… whats your plan there.”

“Bobby is handled I told you and now is so no the time. As for what we do… we hunt. Feelers out only to people we know that can report back to us and not get the word out we’re looking. Trusted hunters only. Dad had some books in a storage locker that had every hoodoo, voodoo, and Celtic tracking spell known to man so we need to go get them. Has to be something in there. Track them down, slit their throats.”

“And her mom?”

“I don’t want to cut her mom down but what can I do? She hasn’t said anything about it… I know she’ll make the right call when it comes down to it but an evil bitch like that isn’t going to lay down and let something like this go. Family obviously means squat if she was going to gut her own baby.”

“Shit. It’s not gonna be easy. Are you letting her hunt?”

“No. She comes along and is a part of this. It’s her fight. But until she has control over what she can do… no she’s not seeing any action.”

“And what are you going to Mr. Miyagi her yourself Dean? News flash… you’re not a witch. We can’t train her and getting a witch to do it is… anyone who can train her is going to use her.”

“Yeah. Thats why I’m not calling a witch.”

“So who Dean?”

“Think. Who do we know that will help us, might not be a witch but could use what she does have to feel around in the dark and unlock the what she needs to get the ins and outs of this? Someone we trust. Who would fight tooth and nail for her?” Sam’s eyes lit up.

“Dude we haven’t seen her in years.”

“She’s good people Sam. We call… she’ll help. And she won’t say a peep. Dad trusted her with mom. We trusted her with your psychic thing when we still had no idea what was up or down.”

“Psychic thing. God that was freaking years ago man. It’d be good to see her again.” Sam smiled.

Ellie slowly opened her door not wanting to intrude, the boys turned back to her breaking away from their conversation. 

“Hey.” Dean said softly as he moved to her. “I’m gonna call Cas okay?” She nodded. “Cas… it’s me. We’re ready for you. We need to get this show on the road and get her warded. I’m at that hunting cabin Bobby sent you to that time we had to grab that bone thing. Angel warding isn’t up yet we are waiting on you man.” He paused looking to Sam, both shrugging. “Beam me up Scotty lets get a move on!” Dean said much harsher now.

The flap of wings signaled his arrival. They knew he’d be holding what ever was coming for them off but not one of them expected to see a fatigued, bloodied Cas falling to the old sofa, his face barely visible under the carnage of what they had done to him. His blade was in hand as he struggled to remain upright. Ellie rushed forward kneeling next to him to Deans surprise. 

“Hey whoa easy… breathe. Take it slow.”

“What the hell Cas?” Dean asked, taken aback by the damage. 

“Ambush. Low level, but they had the upper hand.”

“Sam get me some warm water and clean rags. Whiskey maybe.” She called as Sam snapped into action.

“Cas who were they?”

“I just said demons. Don’t worry none escaped. Nice and bloody like you like it.” Deans shoulders relaxed a hair. Sam dropped the supplies next to Ellie as she began to work. Cas tried to protest. 

“I am a celestial being there is not need. I am weak but in a matter of hours my vessel will repair itself.” He grumbled. 

“Thats great for you but in the mean time I’m going to make sure you’re clean and comfortable.” She said. Dean was mesmerized by her. They way she could speak so softly but still shut an angel of the lord up making him think twice about arguing with her. Her hair was pushed behind her shoulders, the dark hair he had always remembered now admiring the red she added at the ends. It suited her. He couldn’t help his eyes as they traveled from her thin waist down further to her jeans. God did she wear them. He cursed the belt she had worn, her shirt tucked in. God what he would give to feel all of that pressed up-

“Dean.” Sam hissed attempting to be discreet, glaring at his brother knowing exactly what he was doing. Dean shot him a look and brushed him off, looking back to Cas as Ellie cleared the blood and grime away.

“Guys can you get some firewood? Its freezing in here?” She asked neither realizing she was being strategic. They nodded moving outside as she continued working. 

“Thank you.” She said to the angel, her eyes avoiding his gaze like she always did. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“This is my fault. They were coming after me and you-“ Castiel stopped her. 

“I am an angel of the lord. Though my brothers and sisters have forgotten what it means… we are tasked with protecting Humanity. Why would I not step in?”

“Humanity.” She scoffed. “Humans. I’m not really-“

“Witches are humans. Even if you can’t accept that you are only half witch. Eleanore you deserve my protection just as much as the next.”

“You could have died.”

“Doing my duty.”

“What good is that if-“

“Stop questioning it. I have watched you for some time now. I’ve looked back to try and… understand. Being with Dean and Sam… falling from grace just to help them… it taught me that nothing matters if you do the right thing. They taught me to empathize and to fight for what was right even if its the hard thing to do. Took me a while to learn it… I might still be learning. But this cause… your cause… it is the right one. I am honored to fight for you. You are a resilient woman.”

“I just can’t have anyone else get hurt because of me.”

“That wasn’t your fault.” He looked at her knowingly. “And these men, we will not let harm come to you. Period.”

“Thank you.” She whispered looking up at the angel. His wounds already beginning to mend.

“Told you. Not much longer now and I’ll be able to ward you.” He smiled squeezing her hand as the boys came in with piles of wood. 

“Here.” She said shuffling to grab the basket. Sam plopping the logs in as Dean lit the fire. 

“That should heat up. Not sure whats wrong but the gas is working which means we have a functioning kitchen and hot water. We’ve got enough in the cooler to whip something up for tonight. Sam can hit the store in the morning. Cas how much longer till you can-“

“With in the hour as I just told your mate.” All three grimaced.

“Oh fucking hell Cas can… can you say it like that thats just wrong we aren’t primates.” Dean groaned as Ellie and Sam retreated to the kitchen. 

“No you are not. In fact you are more closely related to dolphins than to any-“

“Theres food in the cupboard and Dean put a few things in the cooler. I’ll whip something up.” Ellie shouted out uncomfortably trying desperately to change the subject.

“Cas how do you feel about doing a quick perimeter check and peaking at the town with me?” Sam asked before he could speak. “Gotta make sure we weren’t followed, get familiar with the surroundings. Get Dean a beer before he cries.”

“Feels like a whiskey night.” He mumbled under his breath as he sank into the couch. Cas reluctantly agreed and the two were off. Dean leaned back, eyes on the fire as his fingers slowly traced over his scruff. His eyes flicked to the kitchen, watching her work. Taking out pans things she could use, having to work with what little she had. He watched her focus on what her hands were doing. Her skin was constantly sun kissed, he didn’t understand it. Her hair was like a waterfall cascading over her small shoulders. Her arms were thin and her hands were dainty. She wasn’t a hunter was all he could think. She was too small, too delicate. He was torn between how beautiful and how vulnerable she looked. Those weren’t arms that could handle a shot gun. Those fingers weren’t made to pull triggers. Those hands hadn’t been cut or burned or used to plunge a knife into a monster. She wasn’t completely defenseless, he was sure if it came down to it she’d put up a fight, but a losing one at that. She’d break a knuckle if she tried to throw a punch. He began strategizing in his head. Places to go if this one was made, who to strike first, where, how hard, how fast. Should he wipe everyone out or should he keep a few to get intel. How many demons did her mother have and what else wanted her? Cas said all of hell… so that meant every nasty beast from his time down there would be face to face with him again hunting her down like a pig for auction. But he had to. It just did. 

“Dean?”

How many bullets were left in the colt? He needed more.

“De?”

The demon knife needed to be sharped.

“Dean?”

She needed a kill all weapon. Colt was a big deal, but he didn’t want her getting close enough to use a knife if something came.

“De.” She whispered, seeing him so lost in thought she moved to him kneeling down her hand on high thigh. He looked like he had been shaken out of a trance. He looked down at her eyes, they were hauntingly beautiful. The piercing grey that almost glowed like a beacon. She looked at him with concern, he realized he had been so deep in thought. 

“What?”

“I asked if burgers were okay. I had Sam grab buns and beers.”

“Yeah.” He said shortly. Her brows knitted. “Sorry sweetheart I’m just a little tired.”

“Okay. Well dinner will be ready soon.” She gave his leg a squeeze and moved back to the kitchen. 30 minutes later and Sam was back. They all Sat and ate, Cas waiting awkwardly as they had their dinner. Sam mainly asking Ellie every question he could to catch himself up on her time away. As dinner finished Sam took everyones dishes offering to clean up for her. She graciously accepted happy not to handle it, but realized that meant it was time. 

She sat on the sofa, Dean leaning against the fireplace and Cas now sitting on the coffee table where she had been, the roles now reversed.

“So I can remove these after, they will be damaged but mostly whole. I know your William made them. It will be… painful. I had to do the same to the boys but yours needed to be reworked. I can’t have it limiting or effecting your powers, only masking them from being tracked.”

“You said… it’s gonna be… painful?” Cas looked back at Dean.

“Cas reworked how?” Dean cut in.

“The inscription becomes part of your being. As Sam and Dean know its burned into your bones. Yours will be as well, the inscription slightly altered to match your power, to be branded into your power so not only are you untraceable but when you use your abilities… It won’t just be demons it’ll be angels, witches, everything. But It will take me some… time to complete it.”

“What do you mean time?” Dean said, getting more and more impatient. Cas was clearly avoiding something.

“When I burned this into you and your brother it took me a second maybe two. This is going to take longer. Not by much, but I’ll need to do it and make sure it sticks. It won’t be easy.” A lump rose in her throat. This was going to be awful. She could feel it. It wasn’t going to be easy, and she knew she wasn’t ready.

“What if we didn’t do it? I could just keep these on.” She asked Cas.

“Eleanore you are hurting yourself every time you use your magic with those on.”

“Thats the point that no one is grasping. I don’t want to use them.”

“Eleanore you have to.”

“I haven’t argued. I’ve gone along with all of this. I haven’t questioned you guys once and I’ve trusted you. Trust me when I tell you you do not want me using them. Saving Dean? Healing him yeah that was a good thing… but my powers… they… what I can do shouldn’t be done. I’ve seen it. Felt it. I’ve kept them locked away for a reason. I don’t want them.” 

“Ellie-“

“No! You don’t get it! None of you get it! These are a curse!” She screamed out, her voice breaking. The room stayed silent for a moment, Sam shrinking into the kitchen, Cas bowing his head, Dean pained by the look of anger and panic on her face. Cas reached out grabbing the bangles, flipping them over and showing her what he had yet to mention. 

“Eleanore… Ellie… look. They are breaking. The power you’ve used sped up the process. They are coming off one way or another.” She looked down, noticing the break in the metal for the first time. What started out as just a tarnish on the surface had turned into stress fractures in the silver. She could see they were barely hanging on. She had no choice. 

“I don’t want them.” She whispered, pain laced in her voice. “I didn’t ask for any of this.”

“It’s not fair. But you don’t have a choice.” Cas said softly. The angel felt for her. He knew she had been thrusted into this world with nothing but pain ahead for her and here she was still fighting but terrified. He wished he could offer a better answer but he couldn’t. 

“How bad is this gonna be?”

“Unpleasant is one word. You will probably feel tired and sore the next few days. Staying in bed after would do you good.”

“Cas how dangerous is this?”

“I will not lie there are serious risks.”

“And they are?”

“Better if you don’t know.” Dean moved immediately, standing on the side of the sofa, leg resting on the arm Ellie was leaning on as a hand came down protectively to her shoulder.

“Dean the risks are far higher if she does not do this.” Her hand fell to his, looking up she found his eyes, telling him it was okay. He knew it wasn’t. He knew she was terrified. So was he. But Cas was right it had to be done, they both knew it. 

“Brace her.” Cas said as he handed her a rag to bite down on. Dean moved behind the couch, wrapping an arm across her chest and pulling her back to him. Her hands shook as she gripped onto his forearm for dear life. Cas leaned forward, slowly bringing his hand to her. Her breathing picked up, the anticipation sending anxiety through her. Sam was leaned over the counter gripping the sides, sharing one panicked look with his brother before her screams ripped through the cabin. Cas’s hand was glowing, her skin felt white hot to the touch as she gripped Dean for dear life. Her blood was boiling, her mind was writhing, her body had never felt a pain like what was blooming from the hand on her stomach. It was excruciating even as Cas pulled his hand away. She was sobbing, shuttering, shaking. Her vision was blurry and she could barely hold herself up. Dean was horrified, not even he thought it would have been this bad, he knew she was exaggerating with the way she could barely hold herself up. Cas looked at her, knowing he wasn’t done, knowing he needed to do it again.

“Its almost over.”

“Cas?” Dean asked.

“I have to. Its not finished.”

“Please.” She cried through sobs. “Please just finish it.” Cas nodded reaching again. And again her body writhed with pain as she screamed out, her entire being crying out for help. Dean held her close trying to ease what he could. Cas looked as if it was taking a toll on him too. When he finally pulled away he moved to the kitchen balancing himself on the counter knowing Dean had it from here. He moved around the sofa taking Cas’s spot as her head bobbed, she could barely hold herself us. She was barely conscious as he called to her, his hands wrapping around her face.

“Hey sweetheart look at me. Come on El honey look at me.” Her eyes fluttered as she tried to hang on to his voice. Her ears were ringing her eyes unable to focus. 

“Come on El I’m right here.”

“De.” She whispered, her voice shaking. Her body gave way and her head fell forward to his shoulder. She was weak and needed help. He scooped her in his arms and turned to look at the pair in the kitchen. 

“Get some blankets and towels. Warm wash cloths.” He paused. Looking down at her limp body in his arms. “This was absolutely necessary right? We didn’t just-“

“Yes Dean. Yes.” He said nothing, taking her to her bed with out a sound. He placed her down, trying to get her as comfortable as he could. 

“De?” She called out in a haze. 

“I’m right here.” He said pulling the recliner beside her bed. 

“It’s done?”

“Yeah sweetheart it’s over.”

“De?”

“Yeah?” He said leaning in. Her hand grazing his lips as he smiled sadly at her. 

“Hurts.” She whimpered, her words tugging at his heart strings. 

“Shhh I know. I’m sorry. Just… get some sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”


	7. Just Come Be

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay my power and heat got shut off and a loverly Boston Blizzard hit hard last week. Back on track with some more chapters coming this week. This chapter is weird for me I kinda think I hate it and it feels like such a filler chapter but I think thats because I'm excited about the next upcoming ones. Big things in the next three to four chapters.
> 
> feedback is my crack

51, 29, 18, 16, 11, 4, 1. It was 51 hours she had been asleep. 29 songs he played for her off his vinyls. 18 beers Dean had chugged. 16 times she woke up screaming, barely there. 11 looks Dean shot Sam as he worried and waited. 4 fights he picked with Cas. 1 phone call to her father. And through it all there was Dean, not leaving her side. When she finally woke up this time, she didn’t scream. She simply let her eyelids flutter open, taking in the scene in front of her. There was moon light streaming in behind hideous curtains. About 6 quilts piled high on top of her. Her hair was in her face, she must have looked like a madwoman. She felt a warm rough feeling in her hand. Looking over she could see Dean’s fingers loosely laced in hers. Her eyes trailed up his flannel covered arms, to find a very much asleep Dean, beer in hand as he laid awkwardly in the old recliner. His eyes had red circles around them. His mouth slightly open as soft snores filled the room. Her head was still foggy, her vision not yet focused completely. She tried to sit up, even lifting her head was a task. She slipped her hand from Dean’s trying to prop herself up on her elbows. Her head began to pound and she could feel dizziness taking over as she slumped back to the bed. With a small yelp, she startled Dean awake, immediately at her side, beer spilling into his lap. He expected a wounded young woman but what he got was a giggling mess. 

“Shit!”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to wake you up.” She laughed through the pain shooting in her ribs. 

“Don’t be sor- you’re awake.” He said, the shock on his face painting confusion on hers.

“Of course I’m awake… you want me to go back to bed?”

“No! God no I just-“ He pulled himself next to her as she propped herself up with pillows as much as she could trying to hide the aches. 

“De what?”

“You were out for more than two days Ellie.” She didn’t react at first, thinking he was kidding.

“What?”

“You were barely breathing and we thought… we weren’t sure. But you woke up a few times, not really awake but…”

“Well I’m up now. And I think I need a shower.” Dean blinked at her for a moment when he became frantic, moving quickly talking fast. Gathering up things she didn’t even need yelling at Sam to get out of the bathroom, Sam yelling that he was in the living room.

“Uhh yeah. Okay let me just get all your stuff… I can run the water get you all-“

“De?” He stopped turning to her.

“I think I got this. Just help me up I got the rest.” She laughed. Dean shook his head, slowly pulling her to her feet, slinking back on the bed as he watched her. She grabbed some clean clothes, a fresh pair of socks and her shower bag glancing back at Dean. “I’m okay. It hurts like a bitch but some warm water will do me good.” 

Slinking herself into the bathroom she knew that wasn’t true. Her whole body was screaming. Every cell inside her had begged for relief. But she could manage, she had to. The boys already saw her as weak and she knew it of course they would try and deny it because its who they are. They knew she was stubborn and hard headed. That she’d speak her mind and put up a fight no questions asked. But when it came down to stuff like this she wasn’t ready. And she had a sinking suspicion she’d need to get ready for more. There was a war coming. She could feel it in her bones. She slipped under the stream letting out a small moan under the near boiling water. She let it wash over her, moving slowly as she went through her routine. She didn’t want to leave it but she had to have been in there for a while as the hot water began to run colder and colder. She rinsed herself off and stepped out. She dried her hair as much as she could, scrunching her natural waves. She did her makeup and brushed her teeth feeling like a new person. She slipped on her leggings and bra, going to grab her sweater when she notice her wrists. Not bangles. Her blood ran cold at the thought of it, she was a lit fuse now with no idea how long she’d last. She tried to still herself, calm her breathing but it was just making it worse. She gripped the counter her knuckles turning white, she could hear her heartbeat in her ears, ringing and pounding in her skull, her blood felt hot and her vision blurred. She could feel the jolt of something in her arms, settling in her fingers as she let out a scream, falling backwards against the door, her head busting through the drywall knocking her head for a block. Dean rushed in gun in hand to find her crumpled up on the ground. 

“El what hap-“ She shrieked, jumping back, scrambling across the floor to keep him away. 

“Get out!” She screamed her eyes shut her knees pulled to her chest, small cuts littering her arms and face. “Get away from me get out!” She was shaking, her voice strained as Dean tucked his gun back in his waistband. He crouched low like he was trying not to scare off a skittish animal, on hand out as he spoke softly.

“El what is going on?” She said nothing, tightening into herself further. “El I’m right here… talk to me.” Nothing. He looked down at the floor, glass shattered everywhere. He looked up at the mirror, completely gone, the back to her sobbing on the floor.

“If you don’t talk to me I can’t help you. Ellie talk to me.”

“Get out! Just leave!” She roared again. Dean wasn’t having it. 

“No!” He shouted back. “You’re gonna talk to me!”

“No I’m going to hurt you De you have to go!” She pleaded as he moved closer, tears falling down her face.

“El no you aren’t. Look at me. Ellie just look at me.” She gave in looking up at him, the sorrow and fear in her eyes made his stomach flip. “You aren’t gonna hurt me. Just talk to me baby tell me what happened.” He reached out his hand on her calf as tears filled her eyes. He pulled her to him and she melted into his chest. She didn’t speak. But she was letting him in, thats all he needed. He grabbed her shirt and brought her back into her room, setting her down and slipping it on. She immediately curled into the sheets, back to him. He thought it best to let her be. 

“She okay?”

“No. She’s not. Call her up here... now we need this handled.”

“Who?”

“You know who. She shattered the mirror she’s terrified she’s gonna hurt one of us mean while she’s all cut up and won’t let me near her.” He said throwing his arms up. 

“She’s got something in her she can’t understand and she can’t control and now the one thing keeping it at a manageable level is sitting in pieces on the table.” He said nodding over to her broken bracelets resting on the coffee table. “Give her some time.”

“She’s falling apart man. She won’t let me help her.”

“About damn time. Look not everyone was raised the Winchester way. Hell she was barely raised. After everything we’ve learned, she had herself growing up. Thats it. She relied on herself, you two being what ever you are doesn’t change that. She’s used to the whole solo thing Dean so giving up control to some pigheaded alpha-male hunter isn’t gonna come easy for her. She’s been hit with so much its a miracle she’s standing. Let her break down for a little. Don’t put the kid gloves on… just… be there.”

“What the hell is the Winchester way?” He asked almost offended. 

“Thats was you took away from that? Look Dean dad raised us like soldiers. We see things as jobs to get done. We work it, we kill something, we get on with shit. Helps us push through all this crap. But she doesn’t see it that way. This isn’t a job this is her life. Look it’s not like we can just order some food, put on a movie and coax her out with a beer or two. She needs time.”

“Well tough. Thats exactly what we’re doing.” Dean scoffed as he grabbed his phone. “Go get the cooler I need a fucking drink.”

Dean peered in the room as the phone rang. She wasn’t asleep. She was just sitting there. Staring at her hands, picking glass from her cuts. He pulled back, ordering what he remembered as all her old favorites. He tossed a credit card at Sam along with the keys to baby telling him to go pick it up. He grabbed the med kit and with out a word barged in and sat with her. Neither said a word as he began to work on her. Cleaning each small slice making sure all the glass was gone. Most were barely there, the only one he was concerned about on her cheek bone. But still they were all surface. Two butterfly bandages and she was good to go. 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered. Dean didn’t look at her, he was so tired of hearing her apologize for shit she shouldn’t have to.

“Don’t be.”

“I should have been more careful but I… I don’t know.”

“Ellie we aren’t doing this right now so drop it.”

“I know you’re pissed and I get it.”

“I don’t think you do.”

“De I… I can just go back you shouldn’t-“ Dean slammed the kit closed. 

“I said stop El! God damn it stop saying sorry! I’m not pissed at you or scared because you blew up the mirror! I’m pissed because you think you have to apologize and I’m pissed you have to deal with this. Let me make this clear… you aren’t gonna hurt me. Believe me I’ve got some pretty good whacks before. I’m a big boy I can handle it. I heard all that shit you said to Cas and I’m telling you woman you’re making my head hurt more and more by the day. So come out and watch a movie with us. I got the meat lovers pizza and Chinese on the way. Sam found the good liquor and you’re fucking coming. End of story.”

He stood up, throwing the med kit in the top of her closet, grabbing a thick swig of his beer, glancing down at her. God he fucked it up again. There she was bowing her head still blaming herself. All he could think was that he wasn’t helping. He wasn’t making this better, if anything he was making it worse. He ran his hand down his face, scratching his now growing beard. 

“El look.” He sighed, moving back to her. “I know this is all… I’m not good at this stuff. I’m not the one who does the talking. And I know you’re afraid of what you can do. And I know having those things off is more than popping the lid on your power. You’re leaving a lot behind for a lot of scary shit thats ahead of us. I don’t got answers. I don’t have the cure all. Hell I can’t even be the Yoda to your Jedi. I got no idea what its like to be holding on to nuke you have in you. What I do have is a plan to kill the sons of bitches that are after you and maybe someone who can help you get a handle on what you’ve got in you. But you’ve gotta trust me. And you can’t be so afraid of hurting me. I’ve been knocked around plenty. Gonna take a lot more than Sabrina the teenage witch to get me worried. Me and Sam… we’re not dumping you anywhere. We aren’t leaving you or changing our minds here. We’re gonna fix this. I swear.” He said, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead before padding over to the door. Turning back he tossed her a small smile. 

“Sam will be back with the food. Some brews and whiskey. Got a few movies on my laptop. Not anything special, but come be with us. Come take a minute to breathe and just… take a night off while we can.”

He left, softly shutting the door. He was right. She knew that. But that didn’t erase the fear. She grabbed a pair of leggings, a big sweater. Slipped on some socks and took a deep breath. Just a relaxing night. She stepped out into the living room as Sam unloaded the food. 

“It’s alive.” Sam joked. Dean sat on the couch, eyes glued on the laptop as he set up the movie. 

“Yeah barely.” She said, sounding exhausted. 

“Well Dean called in your favorites, I got some beers. We have nothing calling our name off the wires which means movie night.”

“Okay.”

“Hey come help me pick one. Sam showed me how to download them.”

“Sounds less than legal.”

“Buying them on stolen credit cards is better?”

“Oh god.” She chuckled, plopping herself next to him. 

“So what are you thinking?” Dean asked lightly.

“Anything but Carrie.” She laughed, Dean shaking his head. 

“Alright. Come on foods getting cold.” 

The three spread out on the couch as the movie began. The boys quietly bickering like brothers do as they devoured the take out. A few beers and half a movie and Dean was passed out. Snoring like diesel truck flying down the interstate. Ellie giggled to herself. Sam glanced over, seeing his arm around the back of her seat, he body leaning into his slightly. 

“He’s so loud.” Sam chuckled. 

“Yeah he’s a fog horn.”

“You doing okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Liar.” She smiled looking down at her hands in her lap. “You’re aloud to freak out you know.” 

“I have. I am. Believe me.”

“I mean you can freak out, but don’t do it alone. We are gonna fix this Ellie. We have a friend coming tomorrow. She can help you.”

“With what?”

“Me and Dean have the whole demonic army handled. Our friend has the witch side covered. She’s not a witch but she knows the ins and outs. We trust her and I know if anyone can figure this out its you. You can do this.”

“You can’t really bite size pieces this problem Sam.”

“You can. And you will. And for the record? Dean is clueless. He’s stupid and unless its sarcasm or innuendo, he doesn’t do so well with words. Give him time.”

“I don’t know. Idiots done pretty well so far.” She laughed to herself. “I trust you guys. It’s me I don’t trust Sam.”

“We trust you. You need to trust yourself.”

“How? I haven’t seen you guys in years? We are different people.”

“Not really. Look this whole soul thing… thats between you and Dean and I’ll let you two work it out. But as far you go? I know you. We grew up with you. I know what kind of person you are. You healed Dean, put yourself at risk before you even knew who he was. You’re a good person. Bad things happen but that doesn’t make you a bad person. Whats inside of you, who your mother is… doesn’t define who you are. I know what it’s like to have something in you that is screaming to be let out. I know what its like to feel something that could very well be evil. And I know whats it like to be afraid of what you can do. I rose above it. You will too.”

His words hung in the air for a few moments before he stood and moved towards his room. “You’re stronger than you think.” He smiled. “Oh and Ellie? I mean it. He steps outta line even slightly and I’ll kill him. You say the word.”


	8. I Went to Missouri & I Learned the Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry I know it's been a long time but I had medical emergencies and family drama and I had to go to that evil place where they keep my pack check. I'm back. I have this chapter done and the next three but I'm fine tuning as I'm not really sure how I want to get to the next big piece here. Thank you for the love you guys have been giving comments keep me motivated and excited which means the chapters flow more easily! Thanks for sticking around <3

First thing he felt was stiff. God was he stiff. His eyes blinked open. He was still on the couch. His arm still clinging to the back of the sofa, his neck feeling like it had been in a bad position for weeks. He slipped up the couch with a low grumbled, the light piercing his eyes still. He glanced around, beers and half eaten food still laying on the table. He glanced over to the kitchen island to see her perched on a stool, her long hair hanging over her shoulders. The sun hitting her face, blank but he knew the worry underneath. She held the coffee cup in her small hands, the wrists of her sweater pulled up to her knuckles as she breathed in the steam. 

“Made coffee.” She whispered, her eyes still trained on the front door. He stood, trying to shake his body awake. 

“I smell that. What time is it?”

“8:00 I think.” Her voice was empty. Her gazed absent as she stared at nothing.

“Sam?”

“Asleep still.”

“Really?”

“Been a rough couple days, kind of a late night. Think it all hit him.” He grabbed a cup and slid next to her, waiting for her to move, look at him. At something other than nothing. 

“Don’t ask me if I’m okay Dean.”

“Wasn’t gonna.”

“Good.” They sat there in silence for what felt like longer than it was, Her cup half empty when her phone pinged on the counter but she made no move to get it, to check it.

“Aren’t you gonna-“

“I know who it is.” Bobby.

“And you’re still going all ice queen on him?”

“Nice.” She snorted. 

“I didn’t mean it like that.” He sighed. “Our friend should be here soon. Sam called her last night, so did I. She’s good people.”

“You said as much.”

“Don’t trust me yet do you?”

“I don’t trust what I can do. Didn’t trust it when I had those things on and now… I’m a ticking time bomb with no defuser.”“Look it’s been nuts and I’d be lying if I wasn’t curious how much you’re packing with those gone but Sam and me wouldn’t be here if we didn’t think it was right or safe.”

“Please, Winchesters hear danger and you come running with a smile on your face.”

“Ehh well maybe we ain’t the brightest but sweetheart, you’re stuck with us and we ain’t ducking into corners. Maybe stop thinking about that bomb and start thinking about the good it could do.”

“Good?” She snapped her head to him, almost offended but hell she was looking at him now. He’d take it. 

“Hunter with a kick. An ace up her sleeve.”

“Hunters a strong word.”

“You know what I mean.” He pinched his nose, heaving a breath and standing, his hand finding her chin. “Look you’re scared of what could happen, of loosing control but what about gaining it? Maybe think about what good could come of this. Maybe helping people. Saving someone. Don’t get me wrong the idea of you hunting makes me wanna go ape shit because I couldn’t handle it. And you aren’t doing shit till you have a grasp on what you can do. But when you do… sweetheart you could do some real good. You see this as a curse, but stop fighting it. Maybe it’s something different.” 

He placed a kiss to her head and sleepily walked to the bathroom, the shower switching on moment later. She sat there half stunned, soaking in his words. Not once did she ever think she could do some good with this. Could she?

Moments later Sam came pacing in, hair a mess and eyes barely open. He grumbled a good morning, grabbing a mug and pouring himself a coffee. Looking back at her he stopped, waking up a little. 

“Hey are you okay?”

“Yeah. Great. Gonna get dressed.”

“Hey.” He tried to stop her but she had slipped into her room, the door gently clicking shut.

A few hours later they were all sitting down to beers and cold pizza. Ellie posted up on a stool, Dean standing guard behind her with Sam hunched over the other side of the island. Deans mouth half full of pizza as he spat out bad joke after bad joke, Ellie laughing at his stupidity, Sam rolling his eyes at his older brother. Jokes turned to stories of the hunts she had missed out on. Her heart swelling at her little reunion. She had her boys back. She was used to them coming and going but after everything, years of her knowing they’d find each other again, she had made her peace that she’d never have this again. But here it was again. 

“I swear he jumped like a mile and a half. He was scared shitless.”

“Not Dean Winchester the worlds most amazing hunter!” She mocked looking back up at him. 

“Nerves of steal princess. He’s making shit up now.” 

“Oh sure he is.” She laughed, Dean placing a kiss to her head. She giggled, retracting back ever so slightly smiling up at him. He looked at her with such intensity. Emotions she couldn't explain. It scared her. Shitless. But despite the sheer anxiety she felt, the closer she was to Dean the safer she felt. She had been smacked in the face by her emotions like a high speed train and didn’t know how to process it. But they weren’t discussing it, they just chose to… be. So she was happy with that. 

“Uhh... guys? Still here.”

“Shuddah up.” Dean grumbled grabbing yet another piece. “By the way… you know our girl’s got ink Sammy?” Sam perked up shooting Ellie a look. 

“Since when?”

“Got a few things done over the years. Started out with the Tattoo Dad made me get. Just kinda liked the look.” She shower her anti possession tattoo and shrugged pulling up the sleeve on her shirt the expose the sleeve on her skin. Intricate designs swirling and twirling up her skin. Small flecks of red hidden in the black and grey work.

“Sick.” Sam said admiring her work.

“Hot.” Dean chuckled. She rolled her eyes pulling it back down. 

“Have my ribs, my back… one leg done.”

“Didn’t know you had all that.” Dean joked wagging his eyebrows, his eyes roaming her.

“Hey Casanova.” Sam grumbled, Dean waiting a moment longer before looking to him. “I think she’s here.” Dean perked up placing his cup down. Both moving to the window. The air shifted around her.

“Still driving that rust bucket.” Sam chuckled.

“I’ll fix it up while she’s here.” Dean smiled shaking his head. “Come on sweetheart. Theres someone I want you to meet.” He said turning to her, outstretching a hand. He could see the worry on her face, the panic. 

“Dean what if-“

“Scouts honor El. She’s good people.” She sat there for a moment, those big eyes boring into Dean. He thought he was gonna have to yank her up, but she stood. She came with him. She was terrified sure, but she had made up her mind. The only thing keeping her abilities at bay were the bangles and they were gone. She had no choice. 

Sam took the lead opening the door before the woman could knock. 

“Samuel Winchester. As I live and breathe boy get over here!” She called out. She had a soft but boisterous voice that rang through the small cabin. She pulled Sam in for a tight hug before turning to Dean, a darker look than Sam had received. 

“Dean.” She said flatly. She could feel his body stiffen as he dropped her hand. 

“Hey M-“

“Don’t you hey me boy! You know the asswhooping I owe you! It’s been how long and you haven’t called? If I wasn’t able to look in on you two I’s have been worried sick! And the deal? I outta kill you right here right now!” She roared. Ellie had never seen Dean Winchester afraid of much but this was about the same reaction he had when his father would yell out to him. 

“I’m real sorry and I-“

“Oh boy I know you know. Now get your ass over here.” She grumbled pulling him into a tight hug. “Oh and where are my manners.” She pulled from Dean flashing her a big smile. Ellie didn’t know how to react to what just happened, woman could turn on a dime. 

“This is Ellie. Ellie Singer.” Dean said, he turned to her looking small, keeping her distance at the island in the kitchen. Dean inched closer, cautiously. “El? El this is Missouri. She’s the one we were telling you about.” She had a look of controlled panic on her face. 

“Oh come now dear. I know this had all been scary but I’m here to help. That I can assure.”

“I’m sorry you had to come all the way out here… we-“

“Oh hush now. Thats what I do. Samuel make me some tea would you? Dean go get my bags while us girls talk.” She moved to Ellie ignoring her shift. Wrapped an arm around her and led the two to the couch. 

“Now tell me whats going on.” She looked to Dean, giving her a slight nod before he left the front door.

“I… I don’t really know. I mean… the boys told you about me… what I can do.”

“They gave me an idea but I wanna hear it from you.”

“Well… I… I can do things. Always good. Apparently my mom was a witch… I’ve got… root magic? I don’t really understand it. I’ve never really used them unless I had to. And I’ve never really done anything with out my cuffs on.”

“Sam said they’re gone now.”

“My uncle made them… hoodoo and a little Celtic magic I think. Enochian inscriptions apparently. It kept them controlled. It kept me warded. But Cas did this thing… I’m warded still but theres nothing to keep them from…”

“Oh sweetheart I know you’re worried about hurting someone but thats why I’m here. I’m gonna take a peak at whats inside… a little process of elimination and we are gonna figure out what we are working with so you don’t need some silly accessory to be in charge here.”

“Can’t you… I don’t know… bind them? I know Cas said you can’t take them away… but-“

“Lets just figure out what we are working with first okay? When you use them… what do you feel?”

“I… I don’t know. It’s kinda like when you get lightheaded and stand up, feel like something is getting sucked out of you… but it just keeps going, I can feel the electricity… and then…”

“Dean said you passed out.”

“Yeah. I just get dizzy and it goes black.”

“And now that they are gone?” 

“I haven’t used them. Not since-“

“You used them in the bathroom El.” Dean said quietly, placing her bags down at her feet. I looked up to him… the calm look on his face.

“You did?”

“Well… I mean… I don’t really know what happened. I was tired… it all came… crashing down. It happened so fast. I wasn’t trying to use them but it just… happened.”

“Did it feel different?”

“I… yeah. I think so. Before it was like I was giving something… passing it to him… when he was hurt. But after… it was like something built up. Then just kind of went through me… pulsed out. I wasn’t weakened like I was before. Rather than giving a piece of myself I just created something different and focused it. But I didn’t know what I was doing. It shattered the mirror. Knocked me on my ass from the force of it… I wasn’t ready.”

“Okay. What else can you do?”

“What do you mean?”

“Visions, vibrations people give off, warning signs almost. Anything like that?”

“Not that I know of. I’m sorry.”“Thats okay. We’re going to focus on feeling here baby. We’re gonna solve this. Once I know where it comes from we can control it.”

“What do I do until then?”

“Wait.” 

“Wait?” She stood up, moving backwards. “We can’t just sit around hoping I don’t explode!”

“Eleanore, I know you want answers but they take time.”

“This was a bad idea I’m sorry.” She moved back towards the kitchen, turning and near about crashing into Dean, his hands gripping her shoulders. 

“El this is the quickest option we have. Its better than nothing.”

“This was a stupid idea. This was a mistake. I should have never taken them off.” 

“El this is all we got. You know we didn’t have a choice.”

“We did. I did. And I let you guys talk me out of it! This is a shit show!”

“Ellie those cuffs were gonna break soon enough anyways. We’ve known Missouri for years, she knows what she’s doing.” Sam said softly from the corner of the room.

“And in the meantime what am I supposed to do?”

“Use them. With me.”

“So not only are we going in blind but now you want me to play with fire while holding a damn blow torch? Are you insane?” She shouted.

“Eleanore…” Missouri said stepping closer to her, a hand holding her cheek. “I know what happened. I know all of it. I can see it. Feel it honey. And I’m sorry. But that wasn’t your fault. What you did, what they did. I need you to trust me. This will be different. You don’t have to be scared anymore.” She looked at her, into her eyes so intensely. A look of concern and understanding she didn’t think anyone would be able to grasp. She knew. She knew what caused her father to run. What she did. What the demons had done. She could feel it. She was terrified. In a panic. But who ever this woman was, what ever she could do, she knew Ellie couldn’t let it happen again.

“Okay.” She whispered.


	9. Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I've been away for so long. This whole croatoan.... I mean coronavirus has been crazy. This chapter also gave me a hard time. I'm excited to really get into the action of the story now. A lot is about to change. Also feed back and comments keep me motivated and stop me from loosing my absolute shit. Please. Help a sad bitch out.

Almost three weeks. Two weeks and 6 days exactly, of trying to summon the magic she tried so desperately to keep hidden. First she was terrified of it. Letting it loose was her biggest fear and it took focus and strength every minute of the day not to use it. But now when she had no limitations, no need to hold back… now she couldn’t do it. Now she was completely at the mercy of them.

She would spend her mornings buried in a cup of coffee, avoiding the thought of her task for the day. Just use her powers. Feel them, show them, try to understand them. But not a single part of her wanted to. Not really. But she had to and she knew it. The longer she went not knowing how to control them the more lethal she could become. And in all honesty, they were so sporadic. She only ever used them when she was in a panic. Do or die. Half the time she never meant to. And now that she had free reign… its as if they didn’t want to come out to play. She hadn’t been able to do much and the anger in her was boiling over as each day passed. 

The boys tried to help as much as they could. Giving her as much normal as they could given the circumstances. They’d all have lunch together, usually out on the front porch. At dinner Missouri would retire to where she was staying just up the road. Sam would make himself scarce and Dean would enjoy her company. But she was pulling away from him. He noticed the shift. It wasn’t until they were alone that she would retreat. He tried to remind himself of what Sam said, that she was alone for so long, so used to relying on herself. And it didn’t help he was lying to her… keeping in contact with her father, who was just a few miles down the road at a makeshift campsite. He stopped trying to call Ellie, but now he was ringing Dean three times a day to cross reference research he had been doing. Trying to compare notes since his daughter didn’t want him anywhere near her or this mission. Dean was juggling it all, sneaking out to trade information and updates. He knew she was curious, not enough to ask but enough to let her mind wander. And she was smart. He was terrified she’d piece it all together. Fact of the matter was eventually she’d find out. But he was hoping it wouldn’t be till he was able to find a solution for all of this. Maybe if he could fix this she wouldn’t care, just be happy the bounty on her head was gone. Maybe he could help fix what was broken between both Singers. Honestly that seemed like the harder task at the moment. Demons and evil he could handle. Daddy issues… well he had his own. 

She was posted at the stove, spatula in hand as the eggs and bacon sizzled. Dean planted at the island eyes glued to her form as she cooked. Every fiber in his being wanted to scoop her up and make her his. But things were… unclear. Not much had been spoken about what Cas said. They shared touches and moments. He often found his fingers lingering or himself planting a kiss on her forehead. But she never initiated anything. God forbid either of them speak on the subject. He was frustrated. In oh so many ways. But Cas was right. Didn’t matter what happened. He’d rather be at arms length with her in this cabin than buried inside another woman. Didn’t matter how pent up he got. No other woman would change what he felt. 

Sam padded in hair wild from a deep sleep yet again, pulling Dean from his thoughts. 

“Food.” He groaned. She chuckled and pointed to her right with the spatula. 

“Coffee is ready.” He grumbled and poured himself a cup soaking in the steam.

“Hungover?”

“Dean and me played poker after you crashed. Fucker turned it into a drinking game.”

“Yeah blame it all on me.” Dean scoffed. 

“Happily.”

“Might wanna ease up on the whiskey there killer. We’re running low.”

“Made friends with the guy down town. We can restock anytime don’t you worry.” Just as Sam settled into the corner counter Deans phone buzzed. He jumped a mile fumbling for it. He wasn’t hiding this well.

“Sorry.” He mumbled shooting up from the stool and making a mad dash for the door. The two heard a muffled hello as he made his was down the driveway. Ellie glanced at Sam who looked like he could care less. Her eyes back on Dean, following him through the window.

“Missouri here yet?” 

“No… she said she had an errand this morning. Gonna be late.” She said her eyes still on Dean. “What is up with him lately?”

“What do you mean.” She looked back at the younger brother. 

“I don’t know sometimes he gets a call and sprints out like his hair is on fire.”

“He’s Dean. He’s weird.”

“Yeah…. I don’t know though.”

“Look you’re reading too much into it.” She didn’t press the matter more but it was like an itch. Not bad enough to go out of her way to scratch yet but it was ever apparent to her. And eventually… she would need to scratch it. Dean had paced in the yard for a few minutes, Ellie absentmindedly cooking the food. He seemed agitated. Who ever it was on the other end was not helping because he began yelling harshly into the phone, not loud enough for her to hear… but she knew him. She knew his body langue. As he paced, he glanced up, his eyes meeting hers for a moment. He paused as they stared, before walking off towards the impala. Ten minutes later he returned looking less than pleased. Sam noticed the tension and broke off to the porch. 

“You okay?”

“Yeah. Food ready?”

“Yup. Sam has a plate. Made him his own bacon though. This is all yours.” His eyes rolled in the back of his head as he moved to the plate full of grade A fatty bacon. 

“You’re a saint woman.” 

“De? Is everything okay?

“I have bacon everything is amazing.” He was covering something and they both knew it. She could see through him like a glass window and he knew it. But he needed to keep her in the dark for now. He would do anything to keep her safe.

“No.” She let out a soft chuckle. But her smile faded. “I… I don’t mean the food.” Her eyes drifted to the window, then back to him. “De is everything okay… with… with all of this?”

“Sweetheart everything is fine. Just got word on a case.”

“And you aren’t taking it?”

“I knew hunters closer.”

“Hunters that weren’t dealing with a freaking Sanderson Sister on lock down.” She huffed throwing her plate into the sink. Dean stood, moving to her slowly. 

“El thats not what I meant. It was a salt a burn that was cut and dry. I know a hunter who is new and I’m trying to feed him cases that have less of a chance I get a call and have to burn his bones. He means well but he’s young and dumb and pig headed about hunting. This has nothing to do with you.” Suddenly he was behind her, hovering, his hands falling to her hips as she tensed up. 

“No matter what I’m where I need to be.”

“Dean-“ He turned her, his hand finding her cheek. That pull they felt, it was like standing at the edge of a cliff. Can’t breathe, can’t think. She was frozen in his arms. She knew in her heart of hearts there was more to the story and it was related to her. She knew he was hiding something from her and she couldn’t pin point exactly what that was yet but when he was close everything washed away. 

“I know you’re loosing your mind out here. But you’re doing good. And me and Sam we are working on a plan. We think we have one but you have to let me see it through. It may not make sense at first but we’ve been doing this for a long time. We’ve been up against worse.”

“Okay.” She said almost breathless. Regardless of what he was hiding she knew looking into is eyes he meant it. He’d fight to keep her safe. That she could trust above all else.

“Dean Winchester you get your hands of that beautiful young girl!” A voice shrieked out making the both of them jump apart. Missouri laughing to herself in the door way. What they hadn’t noticed was the rain that was pouring down had cleared up, sun shining, birds singing, like nothing ever happened. Missouri smiled knowingly.

“Five minutes girl. You meet me outside.” She winked before leaving them. 

“She scares me.” Ellie huffed.

“She is something else.” He chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

“I’m sorry if-“

“Don’t be.”

“You should probably report before she kills me.”

“Can’t get any peace around here.” She paused, taking a step to him, her fingers lacing in his. “I know I’m not making this easy I-“

“Hey… no. You… you’re fine. I’m proud of you.” She scoffed. 

“I’m not actually doing anything yet. Now that I need to practice… I can’t make anything happen. Murphy’s law.”

“Remember when we were kids? You and Sammy were… you two were freaking inseparable. I couldn’t get in on your little secret club if I wanted to. Plus I was older and cooler.” He shot her a shit eating grin, Ellie shaking her head at him. “But when you were pissed, usually at your Dad. You’d run to the salvage yard and not even Sam could talk you down?”

“Yeah I was a punk what can I say?”

“But that day I grabbed you? Few months before… before you came up to Will’s. I ripped you down off that car kicking and screaming? Told you to just trust me for once. I yanked you down to the old lake out back. You didn’t say a word the whole way I swear to god there was steam pouring out of your ears. And I brought you down to that old stump from the oak tree and gave you my gun.” She smiled fondly at the memory. 

“I remember you making a fool of me.”

“At first you couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn. I had never seen such a bad shot in my life.” 

“Yeah and you made sure to tell me.” She laughed slapping his chest.

“And your temper was worse than your aim. You didn’t even try you let out three shots and pointed the damn thing at me when I laughed at you. Course you couldn’t hit me if you tried so I wasn’t too worried. You got so mad at me but I talked you down and you let me show you. And when you tried after a while you got better El.” Her smile faded as he spoke. 

“You think I’m not trying?”

“No! No thats not what I’m saying. I’m saying when you were focused on aiming you couldn’t hit for shit. But what did it tell you.”

“Just aim breath and squeeze.”

“Exactly. You hit four out of five. Don’t focus on the end result because you aren’t gonna get there over night. Focus on whats in front of you. You got some power, that we know. You ain’t weak and I pity the fool that thinks it. But you get ahead of yourself. You get pissed when you can’t do something right away, but you forget that just because you aren’t instantly the best doesn’t mean you won’t get the hang of it.” God there was that look again. That intensity. That look that drew her in and made the world melt away around her. 

“You can do this.” His hand snaked to the back of her neck bringing her head to his chest, his lips laying a kiss in her hair as she breathed him in like a drug. She melted into him for a moment, his warmth calming her nerves. 

“My money is on you kid. We are gonna fix it. I promise you.”

Deans words had calmed her. But he was right about one thing. Girl had a damn temper.

“Fuck!” She growled the brisk air numbing her lips.

“Getting angry are you?”

“This isn’t working!”

“And why not?”

“Aren’t you the teacher here? Shouldn’t you be the one answering that question?! We are wasting time! I still can't do it!”

“Maybe because you don’t want to.”

“You think I don’t want to? I have to! I don’t have a choice!”

“Oh you do. But your focus is on other things...” Missouri glanced at the house. Ellie knew exactly what she meant... and she wasn't having it.

“You seriously think boy problems is whats stopping me?!”

“I think you are too focused on lover boy to put the effort in. Are you really trying Eleanore?”

“This is bullshit. All of this.” She began to walk away done with training, wanting nothing more than to retreat to her bed and forget it all.

“Don’t tell me… have I angered you?” She asked cockily.

“Angered me? I’m miles passed angry! All of this shit… all of this is stupid! This is the worst plan! I’m a sitting duck in some Podunk mountain town, an absolute prisoner because I step one inch outside the circle I’m dead! The powers I’m supposed to be chalk full of are fucking apparently not available, my father lied to me about my entire life! About who I am! Because of that the boys are now stuck between hunting and talking me off the ledge, the entire supernatural world wants my head on a pike, I can’t use the one thing I need to the one time I’m aloud to, and I'm sharing a bathroom with two giant men who smell like a landfill! SO FUCK THIS!” Her chest was rising and falling, her breath heavy in the air as she heaved it. She was near about foaming at the mouth and had the look of death in her eyes. 

“Eleanore?” Missouri called softly to her, her eyes drifting around her. 

Ellie looked to the side slowly trying to see what the woman was staring at. The trash cans were raised about three feet off the ground. She kept looking around her seeing the table and the rocking chairs, the garden hose and axe, the wood Dean had cut all suspended in the air, like it was all moving slowly around her, as if the air became thick as water, the items floating effortlessly. She glanced over to the impala, not as high as the others but it was up there. She had a small tingle in her fingers, radiating up her hands. She looked down, though nothing was visible she could feel it. She placed a hand over her chest, her eyes drifting shut as she let the power flow. Missouri’s small laugh barely resonated with her. But shout from a man close by, albeit high-pitched and panicked, short and more of a shriek. That took her by surprise. She looked over to Dean, standing on the porch steps, well more like leaning on them gripping the banister for dear life as one fist pressed to the bottom of his nose slightly covering his gaping mouth. 

“Fuck!” He shivered eyes glued on baby. She looked back to the car realizing what she was doing was what had Dean so freaked out. “Is… is that you?”

“I think so?” She said not quite believing it herself. He let out another high pitched strangled sound at the sight. Instantly she dropped the car Dean crying out one last time as the car bounced and creaked with a sound that vibrated the whole yard, clearly not healthy for the poor car. Three more times she tried and it worked. Missouri paced around her examining her as it pulsed through her. She wasn’t fighting it now. She was feeling it. Letting it flow through her. She felt almost high on the euphoria of it. She always knew she was strong, but now? A little effort and she could feel so much power… she was only scratching the surface. 

“Your soul. Its comes from the depths of you child.” Missouri called over. “I could feel it. I could see it. You use your hands right now… right? Thats where you feel it physically?” She nodded. “But it comes from within the oldest purest part of you. It’s clearly run by emotions. But this is easy now dear. You know where you need to draw from. You hold on to that. Don’t let it over power you.” It became clear to her. Like looking at a maze from above now. She understood it on a fundamental level. This meant she was able now. She just had to focus but she finally had it. 

“I do, I feel it… I feel it now. But... but how do I keep it in?”

“Eleanore…”

“I... I don’t mean suppress it. I get it now… I do. Before it would just shoot through me, it was too fast and I was trying to bury it. I had no warning but I felt it just now. Using it… understanding how to pull it. But there are times when I really do need to keep it tamped down.”

“Ever try meditation?” She scoffed. 

“I meditate by shooting things and drinking whiskey.”

“Hunters.” She rolled her eyes. “Don’t suppress the power, suppress the emotions that bring them out. Deal with them non magically.” Ellie nodded slightly as Missouris eyes drifted back behind her. “Maybe I should give you two a moment, I’ll head in to town, grab something to eat.” She nodded to Dean as she turned, getting in her car and driving down the dirt road. Ellie turned slowly to a still in shock Dean. She moved to him quickly terrified of his reaction. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

“Dean?” She called softly. No answer. “De?” She asked stepping a stair up. 

“Mmmhh?” He hummed his eyes still on the car. She glanced over, the black sheen that normally radiated off the car was dusty and muted, the dirt had bloomed up as the car had dropped and she silently prayed it was all aesthetic and no damage had come to it. 

“De I… I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was doing it… then when I realized like a second before you came outside and I’m still learning… I meant to be gentle but I’m only kind of getting this and its getting easier but I don’t know what I’m doing and all her Yoda crap is really starting to piss me off and I can’t stand this anymore and I’m really really sorry about… that…” She rambled on, Dean still too stunned to speak. 

“De?” She called her voice breaking a little. This was it, her mind hissed, this is the straw that breaks the camels back. Deans car is his pride and joy and you just levitated it with your witch powers and dropped it like a sack of moldy potatoes. He shook himself out of the trance looking down at her. Eyes glued to the ground looking terrified of his reaction. Fuck. 

“No… I’m… just… kinda cool how you can pick up a car and everything right?” He asked his voice still higher trying to mask his panic, his teeth ground together. “I’m not mad El… you’re doing good.” Finally she looked up and some weight came off his shoulders. 

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sweetheart.” He said pulling her up a few steps. She stepped up two more now able to stand at his height. “You’re okay. Thats what matters.” She smiled a little, Dean not satisfied with it yet. “Maybe… maybe we can leave baby out of future Jedi training?” She giggled nodding at him. “Okay cool. Come on.” He said pulling her inside. Missouri hadn’t returned. She left a voicemail saying she had what she needed. That the rest was up to her. She was warded powers and all. She had found the control she needed even if she wasn’t convinced it was enough. Missouri had faith in her. But was she right?

Her mind raced over this as she sat, legs curled up on the couch and watched the fire dance, steam seeping from the tea she left waiting in her mug.. Dean had cleaned the last of the takeout off the counter and Sam was in his room reading some kind of book that he wanted nothing to do with. He glanced over seeing the wheels turning in her head. Not the good kind. She was playing the what if game. She was thinking about all the ways this could go wrong, either her loosing control or their plan just not working. Then a dark thought creeped in. She had her powers… but the boys. Her boys. They were hunters. Granted they were able to fight off more than they should have ever been able to but she couldn’t put them in danger. She had to protect them. Leaving, that was the only option. That was what had to happen. This wasn’t their fight. She was so happy to have them back, to have Dean. Even if they had no idea what they were doing. She didn’t know what she felt other than at home beside him. But feeling that? Wasn’t worth his life. The side of the cushion dipped pulling her from her thoughts as his hands took the cup from hers moving it away. 

“Miles away over there.”

“Sorry, tired.”

“Been a long day?”

“Something like that.”

“Look what you did today was huge.”

“She left too soon Dean.”

“I don’t think she did. You need to trust she knows what she’s doing.”

“I do. Just don’t know where to go from here.”

“Well… I wanted to talk to you about that.” Her eyes flashed to his, those big eyes filled with worry. “Me and Sam… we have some leads. Some… people… that we have some, well… questions for.”

“Torturing demons De if you’re gonna tell me the plan be honest and clear here.” He chuckled and shook his head. 

“Yeah sorry. I forget you have a built in bullshit detector. Yes we found some demons that could have some information on your mom that we need. We figure we start with her and we can cut the head of the snake if you will.”

“You mean kill her.” She said flatly. 

“No… no. Not exactly. If we can find a way to reason with her, call off the bounty then maybe we don’t have to.”

“And if she won’t?”

“Cross that bridge when we get to it. But we got some intel from a friend. Someone we trust. Theres a demon, one who used to work for her. He went rouge and is leading the demons who are after you. We figure that if we can find him, kill him. That maybe his followers will get the message. Stay back and leave you be. Then it’s the witches that become the next problem but one step at a time.”

“What demon?”

“I can’t pronounce the name it’s something ridiculously latin.” She giggled eyes finding his. God he missed that sound.

“Okay. When do we leave.”

“El… we are summoning this thing, trapping it. If we bring you it’s all but handing you over on a silver platter. You… you can’t come.” 

“So what I stay locked up here? Alone!? Dean I don’t feel safe now how the hell am I gonna feel when you and Sam are gone miles away? It doesn’t need to know I’m there!”

“Hey… hey stop! I’m not benching you but strategically it’d be fucking moronic to have you within spitting distance of this thing!”

“And if it catches on and finds me while you’re hours away what the fuck do I do then? Scream? Run? Stop drop and roll? Dean I can’t be here alone!”

“I didn’t say you would! Cas… I’m gonna get Cas to stay.”

“Dean don’t leave me here please.” She whimpered, Dean realizing what she meant… why she was so worried. He shifted one knee on the couch as he faced her. 

“El… sweetheart I’m not. I’ll be gone less than a day. I’ll come back for you.” He said softly his hand caressing her cheek.

“And if you don’t?”

“I’ll always come back for you.” He whispered pulling her to him. 

She had sat alone in the cabin for two hours before Cas had shown up, looking slightly disheveled. She eventually pulled him to the porch after many awkward moments of silence… then angel was still working on social interactions clearly. They sat for sometime, talking about nothing in particular. She asked him about how he met the boys, but as usual he was hesitant. 

“Why are you always so stingy on the details Cas?”

“In my time with the Winchesters I’ve learned not all stories are mine to tell.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I met them, well Dean, he was in the middle of a… predicament. He was fighting something, and made some choices that most would frown upon in order to protect Sam.”

“What did he do?” She asked quietly. 

“Nothing to anyone but himself. He is a good man I assure you that. But he cares more about the well being of the ones he loves than his own self preservation. And when I found him he was paying the price for it. I saved him from it on heavens orders… I was a different man then. Not someone I was proud of. I did not understand why you humans are the way you are. I lived by a code that was flawed. And I see that now. But I have made mistakes.”

“Dean… he told me when you first showed up, that you guys… angels. That you are different than what most expect.”

“Soldiers, yes.”

“But he said you weren’t the same as the others. He told me how highly he thinks of you.”

“Dean did?” He glanced over at her.

“In his own… Winchester way. You know how he is. But he trusts you Castiel.” A small smile crept to the corner of his mouth. 

“And he cares for you.”

“Yeah. He does. Not sure he has much of a choice in the matter there.”

“What do you mean?”

“You said we’re bound? By markings not just on our hearts but our souls?” He nodded. “Then a divine marking is the driving force. It’s not his love for me… its the marks… pushing us together.”

“You doubt the validity if his feelings?”

“No I think its true that he feels what he feels. But I think the reason its there is not because he lo- cares for me. It’s not because its real. Its just… it’s like the prophecy. Its pre designed. It’s not his feelings. It’s fates. He wouldn’t choose me on his own. We don’t have a choice in the matter.” She bowed her head as she spoke, pain heavy in her expression. 

“I know you think that, but I can assure you. Just because you are soul bound doesn’t mean you must harbor romantic feelings towards each other. In other lives you have been friends… warriors. Partners. Yes you are pulled to one and other, but what he feels for you is entirely of his own volition. And I can assure you… the intensity is all his own. You can’t deny that you feel it in return.” She took in his words, letting them sink in. A part of her believed him but a part of her would always wonder. She stood as she spoke, doing what she did best… retreating to her solitude. 

“I don’t know what I feel.”

“Elenore-“

“Thanks Cas. For being honest. I’m tired. I think I’m gonna turn in for the night.” He nodded as she excused herself. 

She made her way to the bathroom. Showering quickly she grabbed her pajamas and dried her hair as best she could. She felt locked with in the walls. She wasn't ready to leave them... not yet.Tough she knew she would have to. But maybe a walk would clear her head. She slipped onto the living room looking for cas. His face buried in the fire place with his phone to his ear. 

“No Dean she chose to go to bed early… I don’t know if she ate I got here later than anticipated… I’m sorry I was gathering information for you. Because you insist on doing things your way. I cannot be in two places at once… you are difficult are you aware… Very nice Dean… The profanity is not required!” She stifled back a laugh as she snuck to the door grabbing her boots and Dean’s sweatshirt that hung by the door. She just needed to get out of the house. Just for a little. The sun was setting some light still holding on in the sky as she snuck out. She could still hear Cas’s muffled conversation through the door. 

“How soon will you be back?… I’ll check on her. She should be okay being alone for a little while if you and Sam are that close… You’re welcome… I’ll check in with him and see if he has anything, I’m assuming if he’s called you this many times that he has something… No she hasn’t eluded to anything… is it truly best to hide this from her when she has already been lied to?” She stopped dead in her tracks, wishing she could hear Dean’s end.

“Dean it’s about her she has a right… no I think she is still unaware. She spoke openly with me for some time but nothing about her father.” In that moment she knew he was truly hiding something from her. And it had to do with her dad. Was he the one on the phone earlier? Was he still involved? God he was so stubborn. She didn’t stick around to hear anymore. She pulled on her boots and zipped Dean’s hoodie, pulling it tightly as she walked down the path. The sky still clung to the day but her visibility wasn’t as great. She walked the path every day so she was confident staying within the barrier. But her mind wandered. Thinking back to everything she had learned, what she knew now. What lied ahead of her. It was daunting and she knew there was a battle ahead. The wind picked up as she looked around knocking herself from her trance. She should have been at the river by now… she glanced around not recognizing anything. The only sounds that of peepers and crickets. Normally she could hear the river get louder as she grew closer but there was no such sound around her. She was lost. She looked behind her, to the side, all around realizing she had no idea where she was or where she had come from. She was lost and if she was lost… she wasn’t within the warding, the barrier. She was a sitting duck. She began moving back the way she came trying to retrace her steps as best she could. The sun was gone, nothing but the moon to guide her. She fumbled in her pockets… no phone. This wasn’t good. She felt panic not reason rise in her and she knew this could mean danger. Tears welled in her eyes how long had she been walking? 

She kept moving trying to keep herself calm when an ungodly cold breeze fell at her back sending an unsettling chill through her. 

“Eleanore.” She heard the whisper echo through the woods. She whipped around to find nothing behind her. It called again in the chilling wind now on the other side. Soon it was coming from every direction. She heard it again, from where it was the first time but nothing was there she ran a few feet only to have the same voice cry out.

“Stop!” It was breathless and airy but none of it was welcoming. “Stop my child. I’ve sensed you.” The voice was coming from every direction but it was like it was in her ear as well. Her blood ran cold and she froze.

“Who are you?” Her voice breaking as she stood frozen in fear, shaking like a small dog. 

“You know who I am. I sensed your power. I never thought I would. I’ve been looking for you for a very long time.”

“Mom?”

“Yes.”

“Why can’t I see you?”

“I am not with you. I cannot find you.”

“I’m hidden. From you.”

“I know my dear. I’ve missed you.”

“You’re not… you’re hunting me. Trying to kill me.”

“Never my love. Simply bringing you into the fold.”

“You tried to kill me.”

“I tried to release your power, let you live your birth right.”

“You tried to plunge a knife into an infants chest.”

“You would not have died. You would have lived. In a different body, a better life than the one you’ve had.”

“I don’t trust you.”

“Your father. A hunter. He has lied you. Hid you. Poisoned your mind. But I can show you the way.”

“Dad was wrong. I know that. But what you did. What you’re doing. Working with demons. I can’t trust you.”

“Come to me. Come to your mother and I will show you everything. Any truth you seek I will give you. Any power you want you will possess it. We can work together. Be a family. Be unstoppable.”

“No. No I’m going to find you. And I’m going to end this. This prophecy? I’m going to destroy it. We all are.”

“Ahhh yes. The hunter. The one you’ve fallen for. The weak human.” She hissed. “In time you will see he is like the rest. Lying, hateful, violent. He will meet his fate. It might sting at first but you will come to understand in time.” Her words were like daggers, her silky voice like ice as she spoke, as she threatened the one man who she loved more than anything, even if she wasn’t ready to admit it.

“What do you mean?”

“You will forgive me for what needs to happen to the boy. He is in the way.”

“You touch him and I will make sure you suffer.” Ellie growled. 

“Blinded by puppy love.”

“Listen you sadistic bitch. I don’t care who you are, you come after him, or anyone and I won’t just kill you. I’ll take my time. Make it last. I will never join you, I will never follow you. I will fight you until my last moment. You are not my mother.” Ellie yelled, the voices only response jolting her back to the ground as it roared an inhuman screech sending white hot pain through Ellie’s veins. She fell to the ground screaming out as her visioned faded. Alone, deep with in the forrest and completely unprotected. 

.


	10. Survive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So its been a while. I went back and read how fucking inconsistent and repetitive my work is so in the next couple weeks I will be going back and fixing errors, filling in gaps I didn't realize I had and fixing the continuity errors. I have this story in my head but its not organized and I've been regurgitating it onto my keyboard. I'll try to fix it all and do better going forward because its fucking horrifying. 
> 
> I will have the next chapter out with in the week. I stopped the story and wrote about four chapters that are further ahead in the story. A lot of shit is gonna go down and I'm really happy writing this. 
> 
> I'm a slut for feedback and it keeps me motivated to keep writing. PLEASE comments tamp down the actual anxiety that is coursing through my tiny body. Thank you for tagging along with this shit show <3

“Ellie!” 

The words echoed. Disoriented she tried to get a grip on what was around her. Her name ringing out again in the distance. Opening her eyes a blinding white light was cast down on her. She pulled up a hand shielding her from the glare. Squinting she sat up, fingers clenching on the earth below her. Soft and prickly all at the same time, Warm and comforting. Grass. She was laying on thick long green bed of grass, the sound of a river flowing near by fell on her ears as a familiar voice called to her a third time. Finally things clicked into focus. Wild flowers, a rushing river, the line of trees just behind the bank on the other side. A steady breeze drifting by her and the familiar jumping rock she’d play on as a child. She was back home at the salvage yard. The old spot her and Tommy would bring the boys to in the summer to spend hours doing nothing, finally getting to be kids. Memories of fishing and swimming, books read and panics had. This was her favorite spot in the world. But how was she here? She tried to dig deep for an answer, but the only thing her mind could land on was the peace of what she was looking at. The turmoil and hard truths she had come to know in the past few weeks, hell the past seven years… were forgotten. Like a block in her mind keeping her in this moment. She tried to scratch the dull itch, that feeling of forgetting something important but it was too far out of reach as figure emerged from the field behind her, that familiar voice softly speaking to her. She had wished for years to hear it again.

“Ellie you fall asleep?” She sat there in shock taking him in. He was younger than he was when she had last seen him. His hair was longer like when they were younger. The beard he always sported not grown in yet and so much light in the grey eyes that matched hers.

“Tommy?”

“Yeah.” He laughed. “Who did you think it was?”

“I… I don’t know.” She paused racking her brain. She didn’t understand why but something in the back of her head was telling her he wasn’t supposed to be here. That it had been a long time that he had been gone. Something was off. 

“I didn’t expect to see you.” He chuckled extending a hand and yanking her up as a sudden chill flowed through her bones. 

“Well who were you expecting.” She glanced up at him like she was in a trance. “Uhh Ellie? Are you okay?”

“You’re so tall. I forgot how tall you are.” 

“Did you get into dad’s stash again or mine? Ellie drink too much and you’ll puke, smoke too much and you’ll stink. Either way Dad kills you.”

“No… no I just…” She looked down at her hands, despite the warm summer day they were turning white… almost blue. She felt the cold surge through her again as she looked up a him. “I had a weird dream. It feels like I’ve been asleep for years.”

“You get lost in those books nerd."

"No... no I-"

"Come on. Foods on we got pot roast and mashed potatoes, lets hang out before I go.” 

"Go?"

"I told you me and Dad are headed out first thing. That ghoul case up in Hartford." The familiarity of it all came rushing back to her, like she had gone back in time. This was one of her favorite moments with her brother. An example of how kind he was. Of how he loved her. She allowed herself to fall back into the memory more than happy to relive it. 

"You're leaving again?" 

"Yeah but not for long. And I got you something." That big bright smile lit up his face as he pulled two ticket stubs from his pocket.

"What is that?"

"Dad has his annual trip with Rufus in a few weeks. I told him I wanted to stay back here with you. I'm jail breaking you for the night and we're going to the slasher marathon at the drive in."

"Tommy if we get caught-"

"Dad will never know. I'll ward the shit out of my Jeep and you can be normal for one night you freaking shut in."

"Dad finds out he's gonna skin you alive."

"One he's not fast enough, two he's gonna be fucking trashed in Atlantic City with Rufus and I'm pretty sure Ellen is headed down with Uncle Will. Think of it as an early birthday present. You happy?"

"Tommy yes!" She squealed wrapping her arms around him as she jumped. "Oh my god! Thank you!"

"Alright relax. I got one more thing... was gonna wait but fuck it." He pulled a small black velvet bag from his pocket. She slowly opened it finding a long gold chain with a coin dangling from it. She looked up at him as he took it, putting it on her. 

"Tommy-"

"Dad and I worked a case with some hoodoo gone wrong. We found a bunch of cursed objects and he stored it all."

"You gave me a cursed object?"

"What? No." He laughed. "There were these two coins, Dad said they were twin coins. Meant to keep who ever had them safe, but always pulling the coins together. They're connected." He pulled a longer chain from under his shirt, the matching coin around his neck. "No matter what we'll be safe. Both of us. And I'll be with you even if I'm not home." Tears filled her eyes as she looked at them. Throwing her arms around him she tried to keep her composure. 

"I love it. Thank you Tommy."

"I love you too." He gave her a squeeze. "Come on. Lets eat I'm fucking starving."

He slung an arm around her shoulders and lead her towards the house. Before her head could catch up she was thrown into another place. She could see the salvage yard, the sun setting over it. The smell of the grill… the crunch of the gravel. She looked down at herself. She was wearing black denim shorts, one of Tommy’s old shirts that had shrunk in the wash, a light green jacket and the old boots she had loved. She rolled the sleeves up, noticing her tattoos weren’t there. How strange it was to see her skin like that. She loved her tattoos. They helped her find value in the skin. Her eyes lingered on what was missing as crunching boots approached behind her. 

“Hey stranger.” She turned to find a cocky Dean Winchester smirking at her. His old leather jacket she hadn’t seen since that last day at the salvage yard. He stood in front of her hands in his pockets, hair a little shorter and the stubble he had been sporting was gone. 

“Dean?” He was the place where she went to in her darkest times. Dean.

“Surprise.” With out thinking she took off almost jumping into his arms and wrapping her arms around his neck, Dean catching her easily. She clung on tight refusing to let go… another memory that she was happy to relive. 

“How are you here?”

“Case finished early. My dad left me and Sam in the motel. Said he’d be back in a few weeks.”

“You told me you were headed for Detroit.”

“Just throwing you off my trail.” She inhaled deeply soaking in his scent as he tucked his head in her shoulder. Pulling back she let her heels rest back on the ground, looking up at those green eyes she was met with a blackened bruise around them. Scrapes littering his cheek bone and a split in his lip. His smile faded as her hand came to his cheek. 

“De what-“ Before she could finish he pulled her from him and in true Winchester fashion he brushed her off.

“Job hazard I’m fine El.” Before he could slip his hand from hers she grabbed it, her thumb running over his knuckles. 

“And you didn’t fight back? John hasn’t let you hunt since Milwaukee. Why are you lying.”

“Jesus. I forget you have that whole built in bullshit detector.”

“Comes with the last name. What happened?”

“Nothing El. I’m here. Can we go inside and I don’t know, do a movie marathon? Sam’s already passed out Tommy is drunk and your dad is gone.”

“De-“

“Just one normal weekend?” She stared up at him fighting with herself. She wasn’t stupid. She knew what had happened. 

“Tell me first.”

“Stop it.” He groaned knowing she’d pull it from him one way or another. 

“It was John wasn’t it? What happened this time? Bad hunt? Bar crawl?”

“Its not that big of a deal.”

“He’s your dad Dean.”

“Yeah and I fucked up okay?”

“Enough to warrant fight club?”

“Ellie it was my fault.”

“What was?” He ran a hand down his face as he leaned back on an old rusted car. “I’ll do what ever you want De. A whole weekend and we never have to talk about it after this. But I need you to talk to me.”

“He found a hunt. Benched me as usual. Research. It was shifters. Two of them and he still wouldn’t let me help him. I tried to tell him he needed me but I shouldn’t have questioned him. He screamed his head off and left me there. Next day he came busting in saying he had to go somewhere. Told me to hitch with Sammy to the next job but he’s got the damn flu and I wasn’t dragging him miles. That was the last straw I guess.” She felt a lump in her throat. He was protecting his brother… trying to help his father who was likely drunk as could be. And he beat him. There was no way his face was the only thing that he went for. She stepped to him tucking her head against his chest. His arms slowly circled her as he rested his chin on her head. 

“John is a piece of shit.” She whispered. 

“Maybe.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m okay princess.” She glanced up at him, leaning slowly in as her lips caressed his. 

“El we can’t do this.”

“I don’t care.” She whispered as he fell back into her. His words and his actions contrasting as he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck pulling her even closer. 

“Sweetheart I-“

“You ever get tired of hearing yourself talk Winchester?” She chuckled. 

“Smart ass.” He pulled her up to him both getting lost in each other. She thought about this moment a lot over the years, how easy it was to get lost in Dean. It could have been seconds, could have been hours before Tommy shocked them both out of it from the porch… out of view thankfully. But it never happened… not this time. The light began to fade slowly, her eyes shooting to Deans. 

“Dean? Dean!” She cried out for him, but nothing happened. Suddenly he was gone, she panicked as the weight of his hands dissolved with the light, encasing her in absolute darkness. Suddenly his screams surrounded her, the sounds of his agony flooding her mind as he called for her. She clasped hands over her ears and fell to her knees yelling into the void for him. 

“Ellie! Please! Help me!” Her brothers voice was clear as a bell. 

“Tommy!” She screamed as her fathers voice called out too.

“No!” She sobbed tears now rushing down her cheeks. Another voice called out for her… Sam. She tried to open her eyes finding nothing but black. 

“El! El baby please! Please make it stop.” Her blood ran cold as Deans voice joined the chorus of suffering that was breaking her. She stood hands still tightly over her ears as she frantically tried to run through the endless nothing. Tuning back and forth, left to right, spinning in circles and taking off in sprints. 

“Dean!? Where are you?!” She screeched. 

“Ellie help me please!” He called out again, all four of their voices piercing her as she collapsed to the ground crying out with them. She felt like it was years that she laid there begging for it to end as the ones she loved suffered unknown pain. She was trapped. Unable to get to them. Unable to stop it. Unable to save them. They began to fade, still calling out but they were distant now. 

“Eleanore. My child… please.” She tensed, opening her eyes to the same void she had seen. Everything came rushing back… her father leaving her, the years alone after Tommy’s death, the boys finding her again, her powers… and the attack in the woods. Her mother. 

“What have you done.” She chocked out propping herself up unable to stand. 

“I have simply shown you what is to come if you do not finish this.”

“What do you mean?”

“The prophecy has purpose my love. If it is not fulfilled you will suffer untold pain. And those you love… they will succumb to a brutal fate. Because of you. The only way to protect them is to come to me. Let me show you a better way. We can work together. Use this gift together. You belong beside me my child.” As she spoke the cold chill turned to an icy burning, her body tingling and begging for warmth she could not find. 

“What… what are you doing to me?”

“Giving you what you’ve always wanted. The one thing you were denied for years. The truth.”

“Let them go.” She struggled to keep herself upright drowning in darkness and a white hot cold. “Let me go.” She groaned falling to the ground.

“Shhh. In time you will see. I will find you and set you free Eleanore.” Her words began to fade as reality set back in. The nothingness began to melt away, a rush of ice cold fell over her. Her mind began to catch up as the pain of the frozen water she was surrounded by hit her. She pushed her body, weak and wounded up to the surface, the current carrying her gracelessly down the river. She gasped, gulping for air as she broke the surface. Her skin burned and her body throbbed as she clawed and fought, aiming for the shore. She pulled herself to a rock, fighting the pull of the water. She could see a tree sticking out of a bank no more than ten feet from her. She could do it. She could swim ten feet. Thrusting herself from the rock she fought the angry rush, willing herself to get her feet on solid ground. Finally she could reach, stumbling she pushed to the bank, collapsing down, her arms pulling herself from the frigid river. She was surrounded by white snow, soft but just as cold. Almost face down as she shook violently. Everything in her told her this was how she was going to die. Alone, cold, and hopeless in the snow. She tried to yell… to call out. But her voice was barely there. Tears hot on her frozen cheeks as she felt everything in her rising up. Rage, pain, sorrow. Absolute hatred for her mother. Regret for her father. Longing for Tommy. A warmth that wasn’t strong enough to save her as Dean’s face crossed her minds eye. Or was it? The feeling was lost in her body from the dropping temperature. She raised her fist above her head as she used what strength she had left. A call to Castiel before Dean’s name passed her lips. She dropped her fist down, energy like a lightening bolt shooting from her… a last ditch effort to save herself… for someone anyone to find her, before she allowed herself to give way to the darkness, eyes closing… body still. 

.


	11. The Bitch Has To Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OOoofffttahh shes a long one buckle up kids
> 
> I can't tell if I love it or hate it but I'm manic so FUCK IT
> 
> I'm so off cannon and in the next few chapters I am going to be cherry picking shit from all the seasons to fit the narrative so expect the unexpected because I'm playing this shit fast and loose. Also think Season five Dean with Season 14 beard from that yummy alternate universe clip. God I love me a beard.
> 
> LET THERE BE SMUT!  
> Finally someone takes their pants off.
> 
> ***********More updates coming soon again I'd sell my soul for feedback because I'm insecure (blame them daddy issues) 
> 
> Hope everyone is surviving the pandemic.
> 
> .

Dean slowly pulled the impala down the long dirt path that lead to the safe house. Last he heard from Cas, Ellie was safe and headed off to bed. Both of the boys were exhausted as they made it down the last stretch of road. The trip had been long and though Sam felt like they had hope… Dean’s was dwindling. He needed something. Something big. He kept trying to act like this was just another case, trying to think logically about what needed to come next. But they had gone weeks with out any new information. Tracking her mother had proved to be impossible and getting a straight answer about the demons who were leading the charge for her had them coming up dry at every turn. The coven had been disbanded, most killed by Bobby all those years ago but with no names to go on… even her mothers they had no grasp on where to even start. He had reached out to psychics and anyone who had one foot in the real world and the other in the supernatural but all the answers were the same. Her mother was hidden, powerful, and a force they weren’t keen on spying on. His head had been buried in books while Sam snuck around with Bobby behind her back, keeping a safe distance but close by just incase per Dean’s request. 

Dean had spent the days reading everything he could, combing through articles and news sources for anything that could lead to her mother, while she exercised her powers. The only thing that had actually become clear to him was her strength. She was scared still and he could see it but he was in disbelief often times when he watched her. She went from being a shut in with abilities she feared and didn’t understand to a master in his eyes. She was able to move things, slow down time, throw people and shield herself from attacks. He knew she was holding back but the things she could do, the control she had gained was more than he had ever anticipated. She was a natural. Maybe she at least had some hope of being able to defend herself. Maybe her powers could be the answer to finding what they needed to bring the demons witches and any other force that wanted her down. But he didn’t want that. Not yet. He wanted her far from the fight. Because if he could end this… maybe she could go on. Live regular. Have a white picket fence and 2.5 kids with a husband that didn’t carry the baggage he did. She deserved better and not an ounce of her life had been fair, or normal. If one good thing could come from all this it would be her leaving behind the world of darkness and monsters, demon deals and evil covens. He just needed to find a way to get her there. 

“Should we call Cas?” Sam’s voice cut into the silence.

“No we’re almost there.”

“You gonna call Bobby? Let him know?”

“Yeah in the morning. I need to crash right now.”

“You gonna tell Ellie?”

“I don’t know. Man you’re just full of fucking questions tonight aren’t ya?”

“Dean come on.”

“We didn’t get anything helpful Sam. I’m not comin’ back there just to tell her more bad news.”

“We got a name Dean.”

“Yeah of a demon more powerful than we’ve handled before, one thats been missing for centuries. Excuse me for not jumping for joy at the useless information.”

“It’s not useless.”

“Dude what part of evil scary death machine that vanished forever ago and can’t be killed are you missing here? It’s a dead end and the thing was probably lying.”

“Are you serious? We’ve fought gods man. I’m not saying we summon the damn thing but I can do something with this. We may not even need the actual demon to find the coven, maybe a name is good enough. At least find us a demon thats worked under it. Someone who was around when this all went down. This is something.”

“I don’t know man its been how long with nothing but dead dead ends. I know the odds aren’t usually in our favor but we’ve practically had nothing useful come across the wires in weeks.” 

Sam chose not to respond trying to find something to lift his mood as he white knuckled the steering wheel. He knew his brother was stressed. He knew it came from a place of worry and wanting to protect her. He had never seen him this worked up about something, he could see how much he cared for her. 

“Ellie’s been a working pretty hard.” Sam cautiously offered up. 

“Yeah I guess.” Dean tried to hide his smirk. He was proud of her. Finally seeing that feisty girl he knew for so many years peek through again.

“She’s been in control. Seems settled up there.”

“I half expect her to be climbing the walls but she was trapped at the roadhouse for years. Guess she’s used to the whole hiding out thing by now.”

“She’s tough as shit. Kicked your ass a few times.” 

“Yeah she really is.” 

He laughed mind drifting back to her tossing him around like a rag doll. He told her to try it but she refused, too scared to hurt him. But he knew all her buttons and how to push them just like he did when they were kids. And she broke just like he knew she would flinging him into the garbage cans. She was horrified with herself and absolutely panicked running to him only to find a bruised but laughing Winchester, praising her has she yanked him up. Cas opting to take over in future trainings to save her the worry.

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around her being alive.” A lifeless chuckle fell from Deans lips.

“I keep waking up thinking it isn’t real but there she is cooking in the kitchen with you staring at her like a piece of fucking meat.”

“I don’t look at her like that.” Dean scoffed.

“Yeah… sure Romeo.”

“I just… I feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. I mean we have nothing. But back there… just being at the cabin… it feels like we’ve been way too lucky man.”

“Knowing you, you aren’t gonna let anything happen.” A small smile peaked through at one of Dean’s many attempts at remaining utterly stern as he pulled the car to a stop. He could see the hall light on as he climbed the stairs. Noticing the door to the cabin unlocked. 

“She left the damn door open again. I swear to god she’s gonna be the death of me.” Dean mumbled to himself. They both dropped their things on the couch, heaving a sigh happy to be closer to sleep.

“I’m gonna jump in the shower before I crash.” Sam called.

“Thats fine. Gonna check on her. Sure you don’t want a beer?”

“Pass. I’m half asleep on my feet as it is.” Dean nodded as Sam left walking slowly to her door. He couldn’t hear anything, slowly cracking open the door to make sure she was okay. He expected to see her tangled up in the sheets clinging to her pillow like she always was. Not an ounce of him expected to see a perfectly made empty bed. His heart dropped like an anvil. Ellie was gone. 

“Sam!” He roared gun now cocked and in hand, Sam running to him in the same manner. 

“What?!” 

“Ellie… she’s gone.” Horror rushed through the both of them. With a shared look they grabbed their flashlights, angle blades, and an extra clip. Sprinting outside screaming for her.

“What? What do you mean gone?”

“Cas said she was asleep. Bed is empty, still made, the front door was unlocked. Sam she’s not here” Dean tried to keep calm, get in hunter mode but the thought of where she could be and why she wasn’t here was too much. “Cas? Cas! Get your feathered ass here now!” 

“The door was open, you think something got through the warding?” 

“No. Nothing could. Even if it was those sigils and barrier spells were from Bobby. Even Missouri said her sight was blurred in here.”

“Then what, she ran?” Sam asked callously. Dean turned to him.

“She… she wouldn’t run.” He muttered, refusing to believe she’d leave.

“Dean how many times has she panicked because she thinks she’s a threat to us? How many times has she begged us to go?”

“No! No no no, She wouldn’t. She might have said that but I know her. She’s terrified of something finding her and as much as she wants to protect us she’s smarter than that.” Sam didn’t want to argue with his brother further but he wasn’t convinced. He watched him loose his mind as they looked around the cabin. Screaming out for her and Cas. This wasn’t good, there were few times his brother had unraveled like this. In all they’ve been through he had never seen him so rattled. 

“Dean…” As Sam spoke the crunch of gravel caught the boys attention turning on their heels guns pointed, they saw a wounded Castiel limping to them. 

“Cas?” Dean called, rushing over to help him on to the steps of the deck as he clutched his side. 

“Dean.”

“What happened where is she?” He rushed him finger pointed eyes filled with anger. 

“Something came here after you called me. I could feel the energy. I went to examine the barrier. It wasn’t anything corporeal. More like a force. The barrier was in tact, she wasn’t in her room. I looked for her, I heard her yelling at someone in the forrest… she sounded angry. I went looking for her but something happened, an energy. It radiated and it wounded me. When I came to I ran here.”

“You think it was Ellie?” Sam asked. 

“No… no this was different. Cold. This wasn’t her power but if I was effected… she was too. I felt the strength of it. Dean we need to find her. What ever it was… she’s in danger. If we don’t find her soon I’m afraid of the outcome.” The boys exchanged looks, Dean pulling his phone from his pocket.  
“Dean what are you doing?” He shushed Sam praying to hear her answer. Her phone didn’t ring. It went straight to voicemail. Fuck.

“Cas we find her and we find her now.” The angel nodded, the three of them walking with purpose down the path. Cas weak and stumbling behind the boys who were too concerned with her whereabouts to care. Calling out for her as the snow began to fall. There was little light peaking through the trees, not yet in their sight but enough to help them. The thought of how long she was out there alone… if she even still was. They walked for miles searching, hoping. 

“Hey guys… foot prints.” He snapped his head around eyes falling to Sam, his arm outstretched. 

“She went off the path?”

“We’re at least four miles out Dean she probably just got lost.”

“Then what did Cas feel?”

“Maybe he was wrong and it was her? Either way it’s starting to snow again. We are gonna loose them.”

“A snow storm this time of year is not uncommon but I fear the size if it might not be natural. I haven’t sensed anything till now but…” Cas said winded perching against a tree clutching his side still.

“I’ve never heard of demons starting a blizzard.”

“Not demons. Something old. Powerful. Most likely what ever I felt brought this.” 

“Fuck. Cas you wait here. Rest up. If either of us call you come. Fast. Sam follow the main path I’m gonna see if these lead anywhere. First person who finds her gets her to the cabin.” Sam nodded drawing his gun and moving swiftly through the snow. 

Panic rose in his chest… was she even still alive. He followed them down the steep hill. He hadn’t gone far when he called out for her again, her name barely leaving his lips as a pulse of energy shot up from the river bank just ahead. He felt it thump through his chest, one hand falling to it as his knee sunk to the ground with the weight of the force. A whisper, that was easy to miss but sent a chill down his spine. His name. It was her. He knew… somehow he just knew it was her. She was close. He ran through the deep snow his, face frozen from the wind. Screaming her name as he stumbled. He must have gone a mile, hand still tight to where he felt her, hoping, praying that she was still there. His eyes frantically searched the forrest floor when a small brown lump came into view. It was her. Her arms in the snow while the water flowed over her body. Her head face down on the rocks, blood around her.

“No.” He whispered fearing the worst. He propelled himself forward throwing himself down next to her. “Cas!” He roared as he yanked her from the river and into his arms. He pushed her hair from her face fighting the urge to fall apart. She was stiff… frozen. Dripping wet and turning blue. Tears gathered in his eyes, his heart racing in his ears as he felt her icy skin. She had abrasions everywhere, likely from the rocks. A split lip and a cut on her eyebrow. Blood dripping from her nose.

“No no no no no, come on baby… El wake up sweetheart come on.” His voice cracked as he searched her neck for a pulse cursing when his fingers virtually nothing. He hung his head calling out for Cas again. He couldn’t focus, couldn’t understand what had happened. But his head snapped into hunter mode as he began trying his best to give her CPR. Forcing himself to focus and count rather than let himself see how pale she was, the deathly blue tint to her lips, how her body held dead weight, her chest rising and falling with his hands. It took four rounds before he felt a faint thrumming before she lurched forward, his arms still around her as her body expelled the water. She retched it up, gasping for air as he tried his best to turn her before she fell back against him.

“Baby come on come on open your eyes for me, come on Ellie.” She didn’t stir. Didn’t move, her eyes barely opened but her voice… that he heard.

“De.” She whimpered throat raw. 

“Fuck… yeah sweetheart I’m here.” He laughed through built up tears. As he pulled her tight to his chest. She clung to him shaking as he thanked who ever he could for keeping her alive.

“De… I’m cold.” She slurred. 

“I’m gonna get you out of here El I got you baby.” He looked up at the sky anger boiling over. “Cas get your ass here now!” He growled, hoisting her up in his arms, ready to walk her back himself as the angel landed. 

“Dean… hurry I don’t have much strength.”

“Get us to the cabin.” The angel’s eyes went wide as Dean strode to him with her half alive in his arms, curled into him as her hand weakly gripped his collar. 

“Is she-“

“She’s breathing. Get us there and go find Sam, call Bobby tell him to hold back.” He said, voice like cold steal, face stiff as stone. 

He grasped onto Dean as he moved them, landing haphazardly just down the drive. Good enough Dean thought as he rushed in, bursting through the front door. He beelined for her room sitting her on the bed as he grabbed his duffel. She swayed trying to keep herself upright. 

“We need to get you dry come on.” He said softly unzipping his sweatshirt from her and peeling her wet clothes off. She clung to herself as she shook eyes fluttering open and closed. 

“Hey stay with me I need you awake.” He said draping his Henley over her. 

“Drawer” She whispered. He moved quickly finding fleece leggings, helping her into them. He wrapped every blanket he could and lit a fire in the hearth in her room. 

“I-I’m s-s-s-sorry De.” She spoke as her teeth chattered. He looked over his shoulder at her huddled on the bed. 

“Stop it. We need to get you warm.” He piled blanket after blanket before moving to the door. 

“Wait.” Her voice was weak, he turned to see her hand stretched out.

“Don’t leave me.” His heart broke seeing her like this. Yeah lately she had been quieter, not as bold and brash as he remembered but she was always so strong, unbothered. He moved to the bed pulling her close. They laid there silently as he tried his best to keep her awake. “You scared the shit out of me El.” 

The fire began to fade and he moved to add wood, noticing her soft snores almost immediately. His mind wasn’t eased. Looking down at her delicate features he drew a shaky breath. He was still reeling from everything. Seeing her… lifeless in the snow. When he held her she was dead weight… stiff… that moment before she spoke was every one of his nightmares for the past seven years. He lost her once. He wasn’t going to do it again. He stoked the fire, making sure it was burning bright. He tucked her in and placed a hand on her fore head. She felt warmer now but she wasn’t fixed that easily, this was more than ice water. Bending down he placed a kiss on her forehead before slipping from the room. He met Sam’s eyes before seeing Cas, still wounded leaning on the counter. 

“Dean-“

“Outside. Now.” He growled swiftly making his way to the porch, the other two following suit. 

“What the hell happened out there?” He asked voice like stone and gravel. He was trying to hold back his anger but it was seeping through. 

“Dean she was asleep as far as I knew. I felt a presence I had to check on it.”

“It’s six in the freaking morning Cas! She was gone for hours. If not longer. How did you miss that?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well do you have an answer for what the hell happened?”

“No. What ever it was it was powerful. Not of this plane.”

“Fuck. This shit cannot happen again. I don’t care what you have to do you need to make sure this place is secure like the first time I asked.”

“Dean its not his fault.” He whipped around to Sam. 

“I don’t give a shit. You didn’t see what I saw. You’re fixing this Cas. No more screw ups I promised her she’d be safe.”

“As did I. You think I do not care about her well being? Dean I’ve done nothing but do what I have thought to be best.”

“Do better.” Cas’s jaw ticked. His expression was hard, like it was when Dean first met him. Cold, stoic. Fierce. The scowl he wore was down right chilling but Dean was seeing red. One moment the angel was there, the next he was gone. 

“I know you’re freaked but don’t take it out on him.” Dean huffed pinching the bridge of his nose as he fell against the railing. “She’s okay in there?”

“She was on the brink of frost bite, defiantly has hypothermia, but yeah. She’s okay.”

“Really giving you a run for your money.” Dean let out a humorless chuckle. 

“No shit. I’m grasping at straws here man. I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“You mean the witch shit or-.”

“Now? Really? You wanna go all Dr. Phil on me right now?”

“Dean try for once not to pull you’re I’m fine bullshit. Okay? I’m worried about you.” He huffed, refusing to give Sam the satisfaction but after a moment of silence paired with the signature Sam Winchester bitch face he knew it was a loosing battle. 

“Maybe people should stop worrying about me and worry about her!” He growled, his voice echoing through the trees before he tried to compose himself. 

“Look today was a shit show. Bobby I’m sure is loosing it but I can’t have him here yet. She can’t know we’ve been working with him… not right now. Just… just go to him? Maybe see if he can make heads or tails of this demon crap.”

“You two gonna be okay here?” His eyes fell to the window, glancing at her door through the glass. 

“Yeah. Yeah we are.”

“You know what the next step is?”

“Ha. No. But I’ll figure something out. I don’t know if this place is burned or not. Might have to think on our feet. I called Missouri the other night and she refused to say much but she said we should let her decide. Let her do her thing, said that if she's strong enough she should know where to go somehow. No context as usual.”

“Okay. Get her up and moving. Let me know the plan. I’ll head out now.”

“Are you awake enough to drive? We’ve been up for like two days.”

“Yeah man I’m good. Go. I got this.” He tried to flash his brother a smile, one that would reassure him but Dean was too damn tired. There wasn’t much he could muster. Instead he padded his way inside kicking off his boots. She had been out for more than a few hours and as happy as he was that she was resting. Dean on the other hand got no sleep. He paced the floor all night, popping his head in every so often to check on her. He pulled out his laptop and began looking for something. Anything that could point him in the direction of his next step. He glanced at the clock realizing a whole day had already passed. He decided she slept long enough, running her a hot bath and tossing the kettle on the burner. A cup of hot tea wasn’t his specialty but how hard could it be? He leaned against the counter as the stove began to heat up. This was a disaster. Every time they had begun to find some peace or it seemed like there had been hope another problem was flung their way. He had promised her safety and answers. He said he’d end this for her. But he was seriously starting to doubt it. He was running blind and it wasn’t working anymore. Lost in his thoughts he heard movement from her room.

“De?” She called as he opened the door.

“Hey.” He smiled moving to sit beside her on the bed. 

“I’m back?”

“Yeah sweetheart. How ya feeling?”

“Cold.”

“Not surprised. Come on. Gonna clean you up. After theres a tub waiting for ya.”

“What?”

“I need to clean some cuts El. Just sit up for me.” She nodded as he pulled out the same old med kit his father carried and placed it beside her. He knelt down in front of her and silently worked. As he cleaned her right hand her left ran over the raised lettering on the old tin box. 

“This was Johns.” She whispered. He didn’t look up intent on fixing her. Not that he took the chance to speak about his father often. Especially with someone who knew John like Ellie did. Happy memories weren’t ones she had and she carried no love for him. If anything it was anger, resentment, and the need to hit him.

“Come here. Not stitches. Just some butterflies.” He said peeling the paper back as he pinched the cut on her eyebrow together. She hissed as he cleaned the abrasions on her face, looking for more injuries as he spoke. 

“You wanna tell me what the hell happened?”

“Not right now.”

“Not right now.” He scoffed shaking his head. 

“Don’t do that.”

“What ask you why you were half dead in the forrest in the middle of the night? Maybe I should ask why you ran off. Why you shut off your phone and booked it in a snow storm. Why you left without a fucking word.” Each word he spoke was like a knife in her chest. Tears began to flow silently as she stared at him.

“You think I’d leave?” She croaked out. He looked up not realizing how upset she was at his accusations. 

“You took off in the middle of the night and said nothing.”

“Thats not what happened. I wouldn’t do that Dean. Ever. How could you think that?” He didn’t answer, just continued on. 

“Please tell me.” He whispered hands gripping hers.

“I… I will… I just need a minute.” She said softly squeezing his hands. He nodded slowly trying to help her up, protesting like a true Singer. 

“Theres no way you’re steady on your feet and we need to warm you up. Made you your tea and everything.”

“Turning into a regular housewife De.”

“Okay smart ass lets go.” She smiled as she winced, Dean helping her up shedding the layers he wrapped her in. Her skin still stung as he walked her in to the bathroom switching off the water.

“Shouldn’t be too hot, just warm enough. I’ll throw some stuff by the fire so it’s warm when you get out. Use Sam’s towels. They’re huge.” She nodded. “El? Leave the door unlocked okay?” She looked at him with those wide eyes. Ones he thought wouldn’t open again. “Just for my sanity? Please?” Dean said please. He doesn’t say please. He isn’t polite. He orders not asks. So she conceded, too tired to argue.

“Yeah.” She said voice still hoarse. She left the door cracked as she shed her layers and slipped into the water. A white hot sting enveloping her as she sat but she soon settled in, feeling the heat seep into her skin. Everything was still a blur. Unclear. But she wasn’t mistaken about what happened. About who had done this. Her mother was sick. Malicious. She penetrated her thoughts and violated her mind, using memories and the pain of loved ones against her. How could a mother be cruel enough to… “She tried to gut you as a baby Ellie, what do you expect” her head hissed. She soaked for a while, getting lost in the heat. It had stung her skin initially but she was finally able to sink in, submerging herself as the warmth sank into her bones. A knock at the door had her jumping slightly. 

“Hey…” Dean called, still hiding behind the open door. “I… I uhh have your tea.” 

“Okay.” She said softly. 

“I… I can leave it on the counter.”

“Dean just come in.” She called to him. But he was frozen in place. “De come sit with me?”

“El-“

“Get your ass in here.” 

“Fine.” He grumbled, a smile ghosting across his lips. Down for the count but still sassy as hell, it was a good sign. He averted his eyes, placing the mug on the edge of the tub as he sat back against the sink and eyes anywhere but her. There wasn’t much he could see from the floor but he was trying his best to keep a distance. He had been wrestling with how he had behaved back at the roadhouse. He was overbearing. Rough. Handsy. Like he said she was in the middle of a crisis and he could barely keep it in his pants. 

“This helps.” She said sipping her tea.

“You gonna tell me what happened?” She shifted in the water, placing the cup down and leaning her head on the side of the porcelain. 

“Not right now please.” She whispered. 

“You scared the shit out of me.” His voice was low, shaky almost. Repeating the same phrase like it haunted him.

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t- god you don’t have to be sorry Ellie but seriously what happened?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You’re gonna have to you know that right?” Her eyes had drifted off somewhere far away. “El you were missing for hours, I found you pretty much dead in the snow, I had to pull you out of the river and pound on your chest till you were breathing. I know you don’t want to but sweetheart you’re gonna have to or I’m gonna loose it. Everything thats been going on has my head spinning. I’m not angry. I’m scared and I just want to understand why.” She fought back tears pulling in a shaky breath. 

“I’m scared.”

“Why did you go out there? End up there? Where you lost? Or just running.”

“I wasn’t running… I- I needed a break. I needed to clear my head. I heard Cas talking to you about everything and I just needed some fresh air. I went for a walk and I wasn’t paying attention. I lost track of time and then the trail…”

“And you, what? Fell into the river?”

“No. I was walking on the path, I got turned around and I was on my way back when she came to me.” She said eyes avoiding him as he leaned forward looking at her intensely now. 

“What? Who.”

“My mom. Not… she wasn’t actually there. It was her voice. She reached out to me somehow.”

“What did she say?”

“Exactly what you’d expect. She wants me to come to her. Willingly. She said she wasn’t trying to kill me. She said she was trying to set me free.”

“How does stabbing you set you free.”

“It was bullshit. I know it was.”

“Still doesn’t make sense why I found you where I did.” His tone was colder than she expected. 

“She threatened me. I told her I’d never help her. That I was going to finish this. Guess she wasn’t a fan. I don’t really remember much… everything went dark. I think I passed out and when I woke up but… she messed with my head. She showed me memories. More like she was searching through them. I don’t know how long I was out there, it felt like days and minutes at the same time.”

“Searching for what?”  
“Maybe how to find me? But she used… used memories I had.. against me. One second I was by the river with Tommy. He used to find me posted up with a book. Dad freaking out about where I was… the next I was with you. In the salvage yard.”

“Me?”

“That day you surprised me. Sam was sick. You guys stayed for almost a month. You…”

“After the fight with Dad. The day I took you camping.” He said, the memory flooding his senses. The night they had spent wrapped in each other. Just the two of them sneaking around, stealing time and getting the chance to forget monster and demons and hunting for once. 

“It all faded though. I could hear Tommy and my Dad. Sam too. Just… screaming. It was pitch black, there was absolutely nothing. I ran but… I heard you. It was like she had you and was… I don’t know hurting you. I tried to get to you but I was trapped. She said I belonged with her.”

“Did you… I felt something, heard you say my name when I was out there… was that you?” Dean slowly placed a hand over his chest, right under his heart where he had felt her. 

“When I came to I was underwater. I woke up and tried to get to land, once I was there I just kinda… I called out for you. I tried to… I don’t send a signal. Help you find me. I don’t really know what I planned I just knew I needed you.”

“You did good El. It’s how I got to you.”

“Dean… she used you guys… and she’s not gonna give up. She’s driven. I couldn’t see her but I could hear it in her voice Dean she’s not gonna let me go.”

“What are you saying.”

“We need to kill her Dean. If our whole goal here is end the bounty on my head the only way thats gonna happen is if she dies.”

“Ellie-“

“I’ve never met her Dean. She’s not my mother. Dad never told me more than one story, hell I’ve never seen a picture of her and its not like I have an attachment. She tried to kill me and is actively trying to hunt me down and gut me. And now it’s not just me, she’s coming for you. For all of you. Sam included. Are you really gonna let her come after him? I know how insanely codependent you two are. This isn’t a grey area De. The bitch has to die.” He let her words soak in. Sure he wanted to gank the witch from the get go once he heard what she had done. But regardless this was her mom. Maybe only in the biological sense but he had assumed she’d be a little more torn up. Grapple with the idea of it a little more. But she said it so plainly. So calmly. Like it was just another errand. He nodded slowly. Eyes raking over her despite his best efforts. She was paler still. But the warm water had given her cheeks a rosy tint. Her waves were damp and she looked so calm splayed out. He shook his head before it wandered down to what was hidden beneath the water. 

“It’s getting cold in here.” She whispered clearly done with the subject.

“Oh… okay. Towel is there. I’ll get your clothes.” He shuffled out quickly. Suddenly he was… shy? The great Dean Winchester. She knew his reputation. She was around hunters most of the time at the roadhouse. Tommy would come back from hunts with tales of him and Dean’s conquests drunkenly spilled out after a few shots with Danny. This soul bond shit was bound to have him freaked. It had her freaked. Sure they felt the pull but the moment you say soul bond any sane person is going to run. He hadn’t run for the hills yet, but maybe this was his slow walk to the hills. 

She pulled herself from the bath, wrapping the impossibly big towel around her as she stumbled out, body still aching and legs still weak. She tiptoed into the room to find Dean setting out another henley for her. 

“All warm. I’m gonna be out here if you need anything. Get some rest.” He wasn’t gonna stay? She wanted him to. Needed him to. She was scared, was on the brink of death just hours ago. She was tired of tip toeing. She missed the heat and the fire when he tossed her on the counter. She had been replaying it over and over again. Wishing he’d do it again. Just grab her and give in a little. She could still feel the way he felt against her. That heat that she craved, having him close and just giving into him.

“De?”

“Hmm?” His eyes on her had the words dying in her throat. Who did she think she was? What was she gonna jump his freaking bones? That wasn’t her. 

“Nothing.” She said all confidence leaving her as she shook her head. But what would it do? Again he was a love um and leave um. He wasn’t the kind to settle down. Not just because of hunting… but because he was Dean. He didn’t let anyone in but Sam really. They would die for each other, they have died for each other. She could let him in, give in to what they both felt surging between them but she was under no illusion he would be there in the morning with her in his arms and every morning after that. 

She pulled his shirt over her head breathing in his scent mixed with thick smell of smoke. She had missed it. She used to steal his T-shirts, hold on to them after he’d leave. She slipped on some sleep shorts drying the ends of her hair as much as she could. She grabbed some chap stick and was ready to accept the night was over when she felt a surge of confidence come back to her. She opened the door ready to convince him to come back, to stay with her. That he had to stay, but she stopped in the door frame to find him quietly sitting at the island, beer bottle in hand facing the front door. His face looked heavy, his whole body weighed down as he absentmindedly picked at the label not yet acknowledging her. Even looking at his profile she could see he had bags under his eyes no doubt from lack of sleep and pure mental exhaustion. She could see it was his turn to come crashing down. She had her freak out. She let it out. But he had remained strong, level headed for everyone. But what goes up... must come down. She moved slowly and quietly around the counter standing between his legs, his eyes glazed over as he ignored her. She slotted herself between his legs, somehow still shorter than him despite him being seated. She sighed, removing the bottle from his hands and placing it on the counter, her hands slipping to his. 

He looked down at how small her hands looked in his, how the twinge of purple was still there. His thumbs traced over her knuckles and the scrapes she had on her hands that matched the ones on her elbows and face from grasping at and tumbling by the rough rocks, no doubt more covering her body that he hadn’t gotten to. The guilt and weight was weighing him down. She hated it. The Dean she knew all those years ago had a light that this Dean had lost. She realized he had been looking after her for so long… who was looking after him? Ever? Who took care of the man who saved the world time and time again? She leaned into wrap her arms around him. He took a moment before pulling her closer, burying his face in her neck.

“You died. Again. You were gone.”

“I’m okay.” She whispered. 

“You weren’t. And what she did to you. Using Tommy...”

“Hey I'm here. I'm okay... Mostly. Bumps and bruises but I'm back.”

“You scared the shit out of me Singer.”

“Hey, I'm alive. You found me and you yanked my ass from the fire. Again.” She pulled back slightly, their faces still close.

“El... if you-” He trailed off. His eyes bore into her, that familiar heat rising again. 

“You made a promise to me when we were kids. And you have kept it.”

"I'm sorry."

"It's not on you. None of it. Winchesters I swear to God you love to bear the weight of the world. The only thing you have done is keep me alive. I'm here. With you. And I'm alive right now because of you." She leaned in slowly, hands framing his face as she placed a slow gentle kiss on his lips, he eyes squeezing shut as they moved with his. He waited, letting her lead as she scratched at his beard. 

“It’s getting long.” She giggled.

“Haven’t had time to shave it.”

“Don’t. I like it.” She smiled as he captured her lips again, fingers digging into her back as they slipped just slightly lower caressing the skin hiding underneath.

“De.” His eyes still shut as he held back again, just as she pushed up on her toes to him. Sinking into the euphoria that was this feeling. 

“Sweetheart-”

“No. De please. I need you.”

“We can’t-“

“Thats always been the excuse. We can’t or I’m too young or Tommy would kill you. I’m telling you Dean, I need you.” She whispered against his lips. “We need this. Please.” He tried to keep his resolve but she was intoxicating. She had a power over him he didn’t want to try to understand. He was past caring now.

One hand on her neck the other on the small of her back as he pressed her to him, his lips exploring hers as she moaned into his mouth, his fingers digging into her hip as he stood slowly, impossibly close. It wasn’t messy or sloppy. But there was an intensity behind his movements. A need. He was slow and deliberate. The need to be wrapped up so completely in each other, both lost to the world and drowning in each other. Those same sounds she made before were back again, feeding into his desire. He gave in as he yanked her up like she weighed nothing, legs wrapping around his waist as their lips danced. 

She arched into him as he groaned. His hands slipping under the hem of her shorts just enough, as he walked across the cabin floor, kicking her door in before slamming it shut with his foot. He slowly let her go, her body sliding down his as he refused to break the kiss. She had been far enough for so long he wasn’t letting her an inch further from him. The pads of his fingers tracing her hip as he looked down at her. Innocent eyes hiding behind her lashes, pupils blow and lips swollen from his. There was a heat to her cheeks as his eyes raked over her. His body was screaming for her… louder than the voice telling him she was too good. Too kind and wonderful and beautiful to get caught up with the likes of him. She was sweet and sunny while he was a rough storm on risky waters. But when she was close everything went fuzzy. And when her body was on his, he felt home.

“Jesus.” He huffed his voice wrecked and rough as gravel. Her fingers framed his face as she locked eyes with him. Slowly bringing her lips to his. Now it was her that was holding back. Soft light kisses peppering her neck as she tried to catch up, breathing heavily. He hesitated. Had he pushed too far?

“What baby.” It dawned on him. She’s been locked up in a backwoods roadhouse on watch by her Uncle and overprotective bother her whole life. There was no way she was still… “You’ve never-“ He couldn’t finish the sentence. 

“Please don’t.” She pulled him closer. “Don’t make it a big thing.” He hesitated, trying to come to grips with the idea that he’d be her first. 

“Its always been you De. No one else but you.” He brought his palm to her face, brushing stray hairs behind her ear. She moved slowly bringing her lips back to his.

Her fingers began to pull at his buttons, working slowly to remove them. He peeled off his T-shirt as she removed his flannel. Slipping his fingers under her shirt and over her head as he moved slowly and deliberately. Her grabbed her quickly turning her, laying her down on the bed as he crawled over her, pupils blow and eye devouring her. He moved with purpose, her head lost in his kiss as his fingers caressed her skin, trailing down to her shorts as he slowly moved moving a finger through her folds. He groaned finding her already worked up as he slipped in a finger while his thumb gently teasing her clit. He felt the way she began to melt, felt her drink in his touch. She was lost in him senses completely focused on him and only him. He broke the kiss, looking down at her moving under him, the way her brows knitted just slightly as he worked her open, the little O her mouth made as she flew higher. He felt her contracting, moving, and craving it as she came with a moan he only could have dreamed of. Her chest was heaving as he continued to watch her, expecting him to do anything but begin again. A hand barely touching her skin as he traced her sternum down her abdomen. His hand returning to tease her as he now pumped two fingers inside of her, still hot and buzzing from her last climax. He watched her with dark eyes, diving back in for a kiss as he began to work her open, another wave of heat and euphoria crashing over her. He gave her a moment to come down as her body shivered, slowly kissing her neck as she panted. Taking a moment to come back down to earth she wasn’t done by far. 

“Dean…” She whimpered while her hands pulled at his waist band. 

“Shhh sweetheart I’m here.” He cooed covering her body with his. He took his time, refusing to rush. He had her in his arms. She could feel his muscles twitch as their mouths danced, moving her legs around his hips. Neither spoke as their eyes met, Dean brushing himself through her folds. She bucked her hips craving more. Eyes still locked he pushed in, her breath hitching as he worked himself inside of her. 

“Fuck.” He hissed as he pushed further in, feeling how impossibly tight she was.

“Ahh Dean.” He was long and thick and hot, barely inside of her and the sting mixed with pleasure overwhelmed her. He paused. “I’m okay.” She whispered her breath hot on his ear.

He thrust in again, burying himself fully inside her. She was silky and warm… he had never felt something so perfect, been so wrapped up in someone. He gave her time to adjust his head placed on her shoulder, beginning to move above her, hard smooth thrusts as she writhed below him. She was never a quiet girl but the sounds she was making drove him mad. He held back, telling himself to take it slow. But he picked up his pace as his lips danced on her neck whispering in her ear as she shook. 

The pain was there, but it faded quickly, pleasure taking over. This was new, something she had always thought about. Something she had dreamt about with Dean but she never imagined she’d have it. And now the feeling of moving above her, inside of her was all too much as she sank into the abyss. Her body was on fire, her mind filled with him. She let out sounds she had never made before as he whispered sweet nothings in her ears. His lips staying close to her if not caressing her skin. She had never felt so heated, so loved, so cherished in her life. The man she had loved her whole life holding her in his arms as he made her feel something she never had before. 

“So beautiful. God you’re perfect.” He muttered moving with in her, fingers digging into flesh and pulling each other in closer. “You’re so beautiful when you come baby. Come for me.” He coaxed her as his fingers held her hips down, chasing both their climaxes as she exploded once more. 

“Oh god Dean.” She huffed as he pulled out from her rolling her to her stomach. He entered her again his mouth teasing her back as he kept his pace moving softly but with purpose as she gripped the sheets. He brought one to her waist holding her hips in place as moved against her, the other lacing with her fingers as he grunted above her. The angle he was hitting was new, overwhelming. She was barely done reeling from the fire he had set free a moment ago and now another was building overwhelming her senses. 

“Oh god… De please-“ Her words coming out with no real meaning as she arched back as far as she could. 

“What baby?” He growled, mouth hovering over the back of her neck. “Tell me.”

“I… I… please De.” She whimpered. A smile on his face as he realized just how much he had taken her apart as she writhed under him. 

“I know baby… I can feel you. I’m close baby.” He spoke with his voice like gravel, his restraint faltering. His hand curling around skin as he sped up, now almost as loud as her as he let out moans that would make anyone blush. His hips began to stutter, thrusting erratically as he groaned above her, filling her fully. 

They stayed frozen, still linked together as they tried to catch their breath, her body falling limp as whispered in her ear. He finally pulled from her, back in moments with a warm cloth, cleaning them both up. He crawled in beside her, hair wild as it cascaded over her shoulders. He drank in the sight of her. The curve of her hips the dip in her back, the supple skin, tattoos peaking out. She was spent, humming as she shook slightly. He placed a kiss on her temple as he pulled her to his chest. 

“De?”

“Right here sweetheart.” He could feel both their hearts drumming in their chests as her body molded to his. 

“I never thanked you.” She sighed. He chuckled. “No not… well that was- De I mean for everything.” She stuttered, head still hazy. “For coming back, for helping me. For finding me.” Her eyes were shut exhaustion clear in her voice. 

“I always will El. Hell or high water.” She hummed, happy and warm. “I mean it. You’re safe with me.”

She murmured something else… something he couldn’t quite hear as she drifted off. Dean didn’t know what was next. He knew he needed a plan. But for once… he wasn’t obsessing. For once he was happy, peaceful. For once he wasn’t itching to get into baby and drive off leaving what ever girl he had in his bed. No, his head was quiet. Skin buzzing. His fingers traced over her curves as she slept, the thin sheet clinging to each hill and valley of her body. She was perfect in every way. And what they had shared… he was scared before, he wanted her so bad but it wasn’t just her body that he wanted. He wanted her. Her laugh, her smile, her moans as he felt every inch of her. And here she was, a smile in her face as she slept draped over him. All the uncertainty and worry he had been living with since he found her washed away in this moment. For now it wasn’t some mission, it was him and the girl he could never forget. The one who saw him at his core and always had. The one who asked nothing of him but truth. His girl in his arms. What he had been chasing all these years, searching for in an endless and futile place keeper, was snoring peacefully on his chest, safe and happy for now. He could live with that. Till tomorrow. 

.


End file.
